Aw, You Thought It Was Over, How Cute
by Pukkina
Summary: Lisa and the Stars Hollow crew are faced with decisions that could change their lives. With the end in sight, they duke it out with Jess and Jackson in the ultimate battle of life, love, and property. Now finished.
1. Chapter 1

"Rory, sweetie, are you sure you want to do this?" Lisa repeated softly. Rory nodded again, brushing back a stray brown hair from her fresh haircut.

"I'm sure," she replied. "I need to get over this. And this is the only method I can think of. Are you sure you..."

"Yes," Lisa interjected loudly. She was afraid if she didn't then she herself would chicken out. "I need to. I mean, I need..."

"It's okay," Rory smiled weakly. "I understand."

Lisa took a breath and Rory gently placed a hand in hers. Sharing a sympathetic smile, the two girls entered the jail.

The trial results had been quick and obvious. Jess and Jackson had been sent to the state high-security prison and convicted, assault, battery, and kidnapping being the worst of the offences. Lisa still had her nightmares from the whole ordeal, but she knew it had affected Rory even more so than herself. The young girl never complained or spoke about what had happened after the initial wake, but Lisa could tell by the tired, drained expression her face wore now 24/7 that she was scarred. Jess had betrayed everything she had ever given him, and used that against her to meet his own selfish needs. He had, in all of his essence, turned into a miniature Jackson Rippner.

Lisa, of course, was still beyond furious and hurt over what the above named had done to her, but she was rapidly growing used to it. First her rape and then being preyed upon by Jackson_ twice_...a girl couldn't help but develop a shield.

Well, at least Rory had Dean to help her, unlike Lisa had before. Dean's sweet, caring, and understanding manner helped Rory recuperate much faster than she would without him. And Lisa, too, with Max to comfort her and stay up with her when Jackson dominated her dreams...things were much easier.

Another guard appeared to guide Rory to Jess's cell. Lisa mentally wished her good luck one more time before following her own guide to see her own little piece of hell.

Jackson was asleep, his head roughly positioned on the pillow on his bunk.

"Hold on," the guard told Lisa roughly. Within moments, she was being led to a room to talk to Jackson.

"You want to talk between the glass?" he asked her, his voice dispatching no emotion. Lisa thought.

"No," she finally replied. "There's not much he can do to me that hasn't been done." She let the bitterness in her voice hold out, but she wouldn't let herself be intimidated by Jack. She knew if Max found out the risk she was taking he'd be furious, but by proving to Jackson that she wasn't scared of him, it gave her a certain strength.

"Fifteen minutes." The guard thrust Jackson into the room and was instantly gone. Jackson shot a contemptuous smirk at his back as he left the small room.

"How's it going, Leese?" Jackson tilted back in his chair. "Listen, I realize that you're lust and longing for me is the factor that requires you to dream about me and come visit me, but you should know that...I just don't feel the same way. I'm sorry."

"Shut up, Jackson," Lisa snapped, already feeling her temper rise. "This isn't about you. I came to see you to talk. Not to have a discussion. There's just some stuff I need to get off my chest."

"Well, I'm pleased to be your shrink, Leese," Jackson replied smugly.

Lisa glared at him, but otherwise ignored his snappy retort. "First things first, and you should know this...I hate you. Okay? I hate you. You ruined my life not once, but twice. And then you dragged Rory into it, which made things _so_ much worse, because she's so, so young. So there's that. I just wanted to let you know how much of an ass you are."

"Yeah, well, I'm proud. Anything else?"

"Yeah. I want to know if this is the end."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to talk."

"Well..." Lisa scowled. "Dammit, Rippner, why are you so objective?"

"My talent."

"Answer the fucking question, Jack."

"Okay, okay," he held up his hands. "I could tell you yes, but you wouldn't believe me, right?"

"Probably not."

"And I could tell you no, but you'd probably think I was doing it to annoy you, right?"

Lisa shifted. "I guess."

"So either answer I pick, I'm screwed, right?"

"Why don't you just tell the truth?" Lisa replied icily. "Since you're so prodigal at that."

He grinned. "That I am." Then he straightened the fabric of his bright orange prison uniform. Lisa had to admit that it didn't become him. "The truth is this: I don't really know whether or not I'm done screwing with you yet. You are just way too much fun."

Lisa froze, the small size of the room suddenly dawning on her. "What?"

"You heard me. Happy?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, you asked."

Lisa stood, abruptly knocking over her chair.

"Stay away from me, Jackson," Lisa snarled, fumbling with her purse. He rose and her heart beat faster. "Max will-"

"Oh, what will Max do?" Jackson purred. "Slam me with a dictionary?"

Lisa glared at him and reached for the door handle. He brushed her hand away from it. She felt the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Jackson grabbed her wrist and she struggled to pull it away. She wanted to yell, to cry out for the guard, but she couldn't. Her voice was clogged in her throat.

"Now, Leese," Jackson brushed her neck gently with her hand. She felt tears brimming in her eyes. "We'll talk again soon, hm? Just me and you. We'll leave the geeky boyfriend out of it."

Lisa finally found the strength to push past him. She rammed the door open and took off down the hall, wide hot tears finally falling. No. Not again.

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Rory tapped lightly on the table with her hand. She'd requested to speak to Jess face to face, not behind the glass. He'd never physically hurt her before, there was no precaution that needed taking now.

He was ushered in, then the guard lightly shut the door behind him. Jess looked up behind his thick hair, his eyes showing shock and then amusement. He flipped his hair and slid into the chair.

"Hey, Ror," he greeted as if they were old friends. "How are things?"

"What do you think?"

"I think things are peachy. Just peachy." Damn. He'd been talking to Jackson.

"Is Liz going to bail you out?" Rory snapped.

"Why? Will you if she won't?" his voice dripped thick with sarcasm. She glared at him.

"No," she replied angrily. "I was just wondering. You've been in here a long time. I was curious if Liz Danes had the gullibility to bail her ungrateful little brat out of prison."

"She is," Jess nodded, rolling his eyes. "She's working up the money. If you haven't guessed, its quite a lot. Thanks, by the way."

"Oh, what, for tattling on you?" Rory replied vehemously. "Oh, boohoo, Jess. Get over it. You kidnapped me, you moron. And used a lot of hideous methods to get me to concede along the way."

"You know what I think?" he snarled. "I think you're over exaggerating, pulling all this Flash Gordon peace for all crap."

"It's in the Declaration of Human Rights, Jess," Rory snapped, furrowing into her encyclopedic knowledge. Worse comes to worse, confuse him. "No body shall be forced into matrimony or association against their will."

"No, you're miswording it," Jess replied smugly. "It goes quite clearly:

'Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.' Now, you consented, if I do clear remember."

"Only because Jackson said he would blow up my dorm otherwise," Rory argued. "Its still not legit."

"Ok, Rory," Jess nodded. "Whatever you say." But Rory could tell he was thinking otherwise.

"Listen, after the trial, just leave me alone," she demanded. "And tell Jackson to stay the hell away from Lisa."

"First of all, my, haven't we gotten a potty mouth," Jess marveled. "Second of all, its not my business what Jackson does."

"Well, you've obviously been talking to him!"

"What gives you that idea?" but he said it sarcastically. Rory wanted to slap him.

"Just stay away from us." She turned to leave, her hand gripping the doorknob, but Jess stood.

"Well, you thought right," he said quietly. "We have been talking. About you. And about Lisa. He misses her, you know."

"Good for him," Rory snarled. Jess blocked her path.

"And I've missed you."

"You know, Jess, get over it. You had your chance once, and you left. You screwed yourself over and guess what? I'm not interested. You hear me? You're dead to me."

His face flooded. "Fine. But Jackson still isn't satisfied and won't ever be. He's a lot more dangerous than me. And he'll be back for Lisa. Mark my words. And if I get out of here..."

Rory bolted before he could finish. Because she knew what he would say. And the answer...the answer was much less than desirable.


	2. Chapter 2

Lisa sighed and threw open the door to the Dragonfly Inn.

"Hey, Leese," Lorelai greeted and logged off the reception desk computer. "Where's Rory?"

"She went back to the dorm," Lisa answered, tossing her purse on the counter. "Said she was fine, but needed a little alone time and will call you later."

Lorelai looked a bit concerned but nodded. "Okay. What about you? You okay?"

"I don't know," Lisa replied miserably. "Its hard to tell anymore."

Lorelai led her friend to a seat in the lobby, away from the conversational guests.

"What did he say to you?" she asked quietly.

"He..." Lisa trailed off, uncertain of what to say. On one hand, it would be great to get this off her chest. On the other, she didn't want Lorelai to worry. "Nothing."

"You're lying to me, Leese," Lorelai said, though not unkindly. "Come on. Just tell me."

"Fine," Lisa broke. "Just don't tell Rory. Please. I don't want her to worry."

"Sure," Lorelai nodded and Lisa launched into her story and her suspicions of Jackson's return.

"I don't think it really concerns Rory," Lorelai admitted honestly when Lisa was finished. "He insinuated coming back for you, but not Jess for Rory. I don't think it matters if we tell Rory or not, however, I do think you need to tell Max."

"See, though, I can't," Lisa argued. "Because I didn't tell him I was going."

"Don't see the problem," Lorelai replied stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He didn't want me to go see Jackson," Lisa replied guiltily, meekly shrinking back.

"Oh, I get it," Lorelai nodded, then shrugged. "Well, you still need to tell him about both things. If both of your lives are in danger, he certainly has a right to know. He's your fiancee, Leese."

"I know, I know," Lisa sighed, feeling more guilty by the minute. But as she fiddled with the ring on her finger, her heart lifted slightly.

Max had proposed to her a couple of weeks after he was released from the hospital. They'd admittedly had a very short courtship but both agreed they didn't want to wait. Plus, with the recent news she'd received from her doctor, she wanted to marry before she started to show. She hadn't told Max yet, either.

Lisa felt guilty about hiding her prison visit to Jackson from Max, but she didn't want him to worry. Plus, how would it look, going up to Max and saying, "Hey, Max, I went to see Jackson and oh, yeah, by the way, now I'm pregnant?"

Yeah. Not looking so good.

But Lisa could always tell Lorelai.

Lorelai, apart from Max, had become Lisa's greatest friend and confidante, and Sookie was also a great person to be with. Sookie and her husband had even allowed Lisa to babysit Davie once or twice (though they left at least 300 emergency numbers).

Luke was a sweetheart as well, and with the announcement of his and Lorelai's marriage, Lisa and Max had decided to have a double wedding. Since neither couple were exactly interested in huge nuptials it seemed to be effective and it would be beautiful. Needless to say, Emily wasn't too thrilled and insisted on a dinner with both couples in a few days time. This time, Lorelai was the angry one and apologized to Lisa multiple times.

"Lore, don't worry about it," Lisa had laughed. "I really want to meet your mom and dad! They seem sweet!"

"Oh, you wait," Lorelai grimaced. "Just wait."

The ceremony was scheduled for two weeks from now, in the evening and with the reception in the square. Lisa and Lorelai even dress-shopped together.

"Isn't it a little soon?" Rory had frowned at the news of both marriages.

"It is," Lorelai had admitted and Lisa had nodded. "But none of us four want to wait another minute."

After the wedding, Max planned to move into a house he and Lisa had bought in Stars Hollow. They were postponing the honeymoon a few days after the wedding so that they could rest a little and tie up loose ends before hopping on a plane. Lorelai and Luke had decided they no longer trusted planes and were just going to stay in Stars Hollow and "bond" for a while.

Joe Reisert was flying up from Miami, along with some of Lisa's closer relatives for her marriage and was, needless to say, thrilled at the news but a little cautious since he didn't know Max, Lorelai, or Luke. After a brief explanation of how Lorelai, Luke, Max, and Dean had saved her and Rory from Jackson's second threat had him wholly trusting.

So here Lisa sat, almost two months pregnant and a wreck over what to say to Max.

"Well, he's back from work at Chilton at five," Lorelai mused. "So I propose you run to Doose's, cook a beautiful dinner, and tell him over something warm and yummy. Toolbox dirty," she added, grinning. Lisa smiled.

"Except one thing," Lisa realized sadly. "I have to work at six. There's not enough time."

"Don't sweat it," Lorelai offered. "I'll stay until eight and you can just work a little later into the morning."

"I couldn't," Lisa said sheepishly. "I mean, I don't want to put you through any hassle."

"Stop trying to chicken out," Lorlelai replied mischievously. "You know I don't mind."

"Okay, okay," Lisa stood and smoothed her skirt. "So I'll see you at eight?"

"You got it."

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Rory felt hollow as she tossed her purse on her dorm bed. Paris looked up from her studies.

"Hey," she greeted softly, something uncharacteristic for her person. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Rory quickly grabbed her phone and notebook and left her room.

Home didn't provide silence to think, nor did her dorm. But her study tree did.

When she'd finally found peace, her cell phone rang. She screamed in frustration, drawing looks from walkers on the path nearby, but answered it.

"Hey, Rory, its Dean!"

"Oh," she sighed. She'd almost hoped it was Lisa. "Hey."

"What's wrong?" he seemed disappointed in her disappointment.

"Oh, its not you," she moaned. "I just had a rough day."

"Oh, the Jess meeting. How's the prick?"

Rory winced. "Prick...y...as always."

He noticed the lilt in her voice. "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing." Rory hated lying, especially to Dean, but it was only necessary.

"Rory..."

"Nothing!"

"You can tell me. Please. Remember how Lisa lied to us and it just made thinks worse?"

"Yes..." she felt like a toddler being scolded after being caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"I'm waiting." Rory groaned, and quietly told Dean her story. After, he seemed shaken but offered a bit of advice.

"Tell your mom," he shrugged. "And Lisa. They really want, and need, to know. Lisa especially. If Jackson's in on this thing, she'd better watch herself."

"Yeah, I know," Rory muttered. "Just...Lisa is so nervous sometimes. I don't want to cause a breakdown when it may be over nothing. The trial is in a couple days. For all we know, they could be convicted and sent to a higher security."

"I thought Jess was meeting bail."

"Yeah, but if he's convicted, he's convicted," Rory argued. "I'll just wait, at least until after."

"Fine. But don't wait too long, okay?"

She smiled. She already felt better. "'Kay."


	3. Chapter 3

Lisa untied the strings on her pale blue apron and tossed it back in the kitchen closet of her Stars Hollow house. She tapped the wooden spoon on the edge of the rice pan and then set it on the counter, nervously brushing a hair back from her clip as Max opened the door. He stopped short in the threshold and raised his head, sniffing the air suspiciously.

"Hm," he mused. "What is that?"

Lisa fell to her heels, disappointed. "Its-um-chicken and rice?"

"Oh...that's odd."

"Does it smell that bad?" Lisa frowned, her heart thudding.

"No!" he quickly enveloped an assuring arm around her waist. "It smells great! Just unusual. You never cook."

"Yeah, well," she warmed to him, relieved.

"What's the occasion?" he pecked her on the cheek and removed his jacket.

"Well, lets start eating and I'll tell you."

Lisa sat in her chair at the spacious dining room table and Max at his but didn't pick up her fork. He began eating and she felt his expectant brown eyes on her. Finally, she spoke.

"Okay," she swallowed hard. "First, let me explain everything first and you can get mad after. Promise?"

"Jesus," Max shook his head nervously. "Fine."

"I'll tell you the good news first," she offered. He nodded.

"I'm pregnant," she cracked a small smile. Max's entire face lit up.

"God, Leese, are you serious?" he jumped from his seat and kissed her excitedly on the forehead. "How long have you known? Is it mine? It must be. Oh, god. Yes. Yeah, I'm going to be a father!"

She smiled happily, then darkened. How she hated to tell him this next. "I've known a couple weeks. Now...sit. Please." He chuckled and did so.

"Ready?" he nodded again.

"I went to see Jackson."

His smile evaporated. There was silence. The phone rang but neither moved to answer it.

"Max?"

"I can't say I'm surprised," he sighed in annoyance. "Its clear you've always had a thing for him."

Lisa reddened. "No! What are you talking about? I hate him!"

"Whatever you say, Lisa. If that's not the case, then why?"

She froze. What could she tell him? She didn't really know the reason herself. "I...I don't..."

"You damn well do know. You wanted to check up on his welfare. You feel guilty."

"I do not!" she stood, feeling almost childish.

"Why didn't you at least tell me?" his voice was raising. "I'd have gone with you!"

"I don't need a protector!" she snapped. "I do just fine on my own! And besides, if I'd told you, you wouldn't have let me go!" she knew she was right by the look in his eyes.

"You couldn't have waited until after the goddamn trials," he yelled. "You had to go and recklessly endanger yourself-"

"There were cops, you moron!" she snapped back.

"I meant mentally, not physically!" he smacked himself in the head to make his point. "He says stuff, Lisa, he manipulates and brainwashes."

"What, do you think I slept with him or something because he brainwashed me into thinking he was you?"

"Stop putting words in my mouth." He paced angrily into the living room.

"I can't believe you're angry over this," she cried. "You hormonal chauvinist."

"You know what?" he snapped curtly. "You're just like him sometimes, so goddamn stubborn!"

Lisa let his words sink in and her mouth fell slightly open in shock. Finally she turned on her heel, grabbed her jacket, and left the house, slamming the door behind her.

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"No, you're prettier," Lorelai giggled jokingly to Luke over the phone.

"Well, can't argue with that," he chuckled. Lorelai leaned on the Dragonfly desk. "So are you still coming by tonight?"

"Yeah, once-" Lisa threw open the door, her face wet and livid. "Well, once Lisa gets here. Which she just did. See you in a bit." She hung up and turned to her friend. "Hey, Leese what's up-"

"The bastard," she growled, tossing her jacket behind the desk. "Just because he's-"

"I'm guessing the dinner didn't go well?" Lorelai interjected sadly. "God, I'm sorry, Leese."

"Yeah. So now he thinks I'm this helpless little slut who does shit just to piss him off. Bastard." Lorelai stepped back. That was the most she'd ever heard Lisa curse in one sentence.

"I'm sure he doesn't think that," Lorelai assured sympathetically. Lisa erupted in tears.

Lorelai sighed and sat down, clicking off her cell phone. This could take a while.


	4. Chapter 4

Max sheepishly opened the door to Luke's Diner and was grateful for the lack of customers.

"Hey, Max," Luke looked up from the table he was wiping down. "What's up?"

Max shyly pulled up a stool to the counter. "Well, as of five minutes ago, my ego. I feel like an idiot, Luke."

Luke grunted and leaned on the counter across from him. "Spill."

Max quickly re-iterated his argument with Lisa. Luke sighed, removed his cap, and ruffled his hair. Then he gingerly replaced the hat and straightened his flannel shirt. Max moaned impatiently.

"Once you're finished primping," he prompted.

"I think, in all honesty, Max, that you were a royal jackass," Luke finally said honestly. Max blinked.

"Well, thanks."

"No, I mean, aren't you being a little controlling? If Lisa wants to endanger herself like that, its her decision and she has the right to make it. You may not like it, but you have to deal with that because its her life and you love her."

Now it was Max's turn to be dumbfounded.

"Wow, man," he shook his head. "That was deep. Where'd you get it?" Luke shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh, gosh," Max laughed. "You're not telling me that you read a self help book."

"Of course no-" Luke groaned. "Fine. But its besides the point. You need to apologize to her."

"If she'll accept it," Max agreed. "I can't believe I let my temper get so out of hand, especially with the wedding so soon, and her already being so sensitive because of the baby..."

"What baby?" Luke frowned, then brightened. "Leese is pregnant? Oh, man. That's great!"

"I know," Max smiled, then rose and pulled on his jacket. "Thanks for everything, Luke."

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Lisa wiped her eyes as she finished her story. Lorelai spoke.

"Well, I think you're overreacting just a smidge, Leese," Lorelai said mildly. "I mean, he just loves you and doesn't want to see you get hurt."

"I guess." Lisa looked away, and the hurt still shone miserably in her eyes.

"Leese?"

"He said I was just like Jackson," she replied softly. "Just like...him."

Lorelai sighed sympathetically and placed a hand on her friend's arm. "You know what would make you feel better?" Lisa shook her head. "The Fourth of July festival. We'll go to the fireworks, be girls, you know the drill."

Lisa cracked a weak smile. "Thought you had a date tonight."

Lorlelai hesitated. "No," she lied. "I'm all yours."

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Rory was crawling into bed when she heard Janice calling to her from the suite living room.

"Uh, Rory?" she called nervously. "You might want to get in here." Rory swung her legs over the edge and ran out. Janice had the news playing on the television.

"...and in news today, two wanted men have escaped from a high-security Hartford jail. They are known by the names of Jackson Rippner and Jess Mariano..."

"Oh, god," Rory sank to the couch and watched in horror as their pictures flew across the screen.

"...information on their whereabouts please call..."

Janice looked worriedly at Rory, who was changing colors at breakneck speed. Rory finally numbly opened her cell phone to call her mother.

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Max hesitated at the door as Luke's phone rang.

"Yeah? Rory, slow down. They are? Damn. Call Lisa. Not there? Your mom? No? Uh...I don't know where they'd be this time of the night. Yeah, we'll go find them. Just stay put and lock the door. Kay. Bye." He hung up and turned to Max.

"They're out."

"Jess and Jackson?" Luke grabbed his jacket.

"Yup. And Lisa and Lorelai are missing." Max blanched and paled, looking sick and panicky.

"We have to find them."


	5. Chapter 5

"I'll go find us a seat, if you want to wait in line," Lorelai offered to Lisa as they approached the ice cream stand.

"Sure," Lisa nodded, and Lorelai ran off down the lake coastline. She was soon out of sight as Lisa walked to the vendor.

"A mint chocolate chip cone and a butterscotch ripple, please," she ordered. She took the desserts and stumbled a bit as the lights were extinguished for the fireworks.

"Damn." She searched for ruts and dips in the sand with her feet. Keeping her eyes peeled for Lorelai, she padded along in the darkness. The fireworks began, and she stopped a moment to look at them rather than kill herself getting back to her friend. A sudden calmness filled her as she looked at the colors, and she smiled.

"Enjoying the show, Leese?" Lisa spun around at the bored, too-familiar voice, dropping the ice creams in the sand. She moved to run, her ankles twisting horribly on the sand. Jackson followed her amongst the resonating bangs. No one could hear her screams and if they did, they were written off as marvel of the fireworks.

Her escape took her recklessly to the woods, where she backed herself up against a tree and searched for Jackson, her heart thudding wildly. As she bent her neck to look a further distance, a pair of arms encircled her waist and slammed her back against the wide oak. She screamed as Jackson covered her mouth with his palm.

"Don't say anything if you want Lorelai to live," he threatened, his voice husky. Lisa pushed at his arms but feel still at the threat. "Now, you're going to come with me, no questions asked, or my associate over there won't hesitate to blow her brains out." Lisa proceeded to defiantly attempt to bite his hand but he countered it by smashing his fist into her mouth. She moaned in pain as she began to bleed. Jackson took her cheek.

"Are we understood?" he whispered. Lisa nodded miserably and numbly let him drag her to a nearby car.

Lisa felt as if she were driving to her doom as she sped away. She wiped the drips of blood from her mouth on the edge of her sleeve. She really didn't care if it ruined. After all, she'd probably die soon anyway. She spoke, her voice trembling.

"Where are we going?"

Jackson glanced at her as they hit the exit ramp for the highway. "Don't want to spoil the surprise now, Leese."

Lisa ignored that. "What are you going to do to me? And where's Rory?"

"Wherever the encyclopedic brat is is none of my business," Jackson snapped. "As for 'what I'm going to do to you', again, be surprised."

"Jackson, just don't..." Lisa bit her lip. "Don't kill me right off."

He stared at her bemusedly. "And why not?"

The baby. She couldn't let him hurt her baby. But if she told him, he'd make a special effort to terminate her pregnancy. "Why would you want to?" she improvised hurriedly. "Wouldn't it be more fun for you if you kept me alive longer?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes. But its funny how fast you surrender."

"I'm not surrendering," she raised her head. "I'm buying time."

"I appreciate your honesty," he grinned. "But I doubt Max is going to come to your rescue again."

"I'm not waiting for him to save me," Lisa snapped. "I'm so sick of being a damsel in distress."

"Well, you're definitely a damsel," Jackson mused. "And you're most certainly in distress. So I think you qualify to be rescued by your man of steel."

"Shut up."

"Ooh, good one. But you're right. He's not actually a man of steel, is he," he realized. "Considering how I nearly killed him."

"Just get to the point, Jack," Lisa growled. "Why am I here?"

Jackson didn't answer for a moment. "Have you ever seen a horror movie, Leese?"

"Of course I have."

"Sorry, sorry," he held up a defensive hand. "Just didn't peg you for a girl who liked being scared shitless."

"I didn't peg you for the type to like nachos," Lisa replied pointedly. He shrugged.

"Anyway, in those lovely little bloodfests (good tips, by the way), there is always some common theme," he explained. "The villain is unrelentless in getting what he wants. And in this little episode of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I'm your villain."

Lisa was mortified. "Are you seriously going to saw me into pieces?"

"Lisa," he sighed irritably. "You're missing the point. You've seen the movie?"

She shook her head. "Not that one, no."

"So you're running by the title?"

"No, dipshit, I'm going by the McDonald's toys," she snapped. "What the hell do you think?"

"In the movie," he carried on, seemingly unnoticing of her scathing sarcasm. "The killer has a whole town on his side. The girl and her friends just can't escape him. He always wins."

"Stop living in a fairy world, Jack. You're a national fugitive."

"Yup," he nodded. "But guess what? There's an incredibly slim chance that anyone outside of Connecticut or Florida will actually know who I am. We get to another state, I get new papers 'because I lost mine'. By the way, start thinking of a new name for me."

"How about Martin McDickhead?" she snarled.

"Hm," he nodded. "Nice ring to it, Barbie McDickhead."

"What?"

"Yeah," he mused. "You'll get new ones, too."

"No," she cried. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh but Lisa...I think I will."


	6. Chapter 6

Lorelai craned her neck as the final ashes of the fireworks sank into the darkening clouds. She was sort of worried about Lisa. Where had she gone? Granted, she could have run into one of their friends or something and stayed with them during the show, but Lisa knew how serious Lorelai was about her food.

Lorelai picked up her purse and on impulse clicked her cell phone back on. She'd left a brief message before on Luke's machine to cancel their date, but hadn't told him to call back.

Almost instantly after she'd replaced it in her bag, it rang. She grumbled and pulled it back out.

"Talk or hang up."

"Mom," Rory was teary. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the lake, sweetie," Lorelai grew tense. "Why? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"You haven't heard the news?"

"No," Lorelai's stomach knotted and she broke into a run, looking for Lisa. "What happened?"

"Jess and Jackson got out of jail."

"Damnit!" she cursed.

"Exactly my reaction," Rory replied dryly. 'Though I think I'm safe here."

"Not you,"Lorelai chewed her lip as she arrived at her car. "Lisa. She's missing."

Rory broke into sobs. "Oh, Mom. I should have told you!"

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Luke dialed Dean's number but got no answer. Cursing loudly as he swerved into a parking spot by the lake, he dialed Rory's cell. It was busy, so Luke tried with frustration her dorm. Paris answered.

"Paris, is Rory there?"

"Yup. But she's on her cell phone. Do you want me to-"

"No, its okay. Just make sure she doesn't go anywhere, got it? Don't let her out of your sight."

"You got it." Luke hung up and gestured Max out of the car with him.

Lorelai's car, or even Lorelai for that matter, were no where in sight.

"What now?" Max ran a hand through his hair. "Lisa's not here, either." Luke ignored him and tried his girlfriend's cell phone again.

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Once they were out of Connecticut, Jackson began driving into New Jersey. Lisa leaned against the car window as the night flew by. He finally stopped in front of a Wal Mart.

"Feel like paying a visit to Wally World?" Lisa grumbled bitterly.

"As a matter of fact," he unbuckled. "I do. Come on."

"Do you realize what time it is?" she snapped.

"Little past midnight?" he replied just as coldly. "It's a 24-hour."

"I'll wait in the car."

Jackson blinked.

"I'm tired," she placed her hand on the seat recliner handle but Jackson caught it and placed it on the seat belt clasp.

"Nice try. You're coming." Lisa flung several curse words at him but threw open her door and climbed out. He extended a hand to help her inside but she jerked away.

"Touch me, flyboy, and your ass is grass."

"Or Lorelai's," he whispered pointedly, and though Lisa grimaced when he put a restraining arm around her shoulders she didn't protest.

Once inside, Jackson instantly steered her to the beauty and health section. He stopped at the hair dyes and Lisa stared at him.

"Pick."

"You're not serious," she replied incredulously.

"Its this or I'm shaving it," he snapped irritably. "Now pick a goddamn color."

Lisa chewed her tongue to fight back tears and extended her arm for a deep chocolate color.

After that, he picked up colored contacts for her of almost the same shade, and then a selection of clothes, none like she usually wore.

At the register, he paid in cash and Lisa stiffly followed him out. They drove in silence deep into the backwoods until he ultimately pulled up in front of a small log cabin. Lisa grumbled a Little House on the Prairie reference under her breath but got out as was requested. She refused to help Jackson with his multiple bags, however, and stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest as soon as they were inside.

It was decent, but she never would have pegged Jack for a woodsy type.

"Do you like it?" she didn't grant him the privilege of an answer.

"Fine," he sighed quietly and set the bags on the wooden dining room table.

He pulled out the dye and gestured Lisa to sit.

"You know how to use this?" she clenched her jaw and shook her head.

"I do. But we need to cut it first." At that Lisa jolted from her trance and out of her chair, holding her scalp protectively.

"You are not cutting my hair," she snarled. Jackson grabbed a pair of scissors from the counter.

"I am. And as I see it, you have three choices. I shave it, I cut it with scissors, or if you insist on being stubborn, I slice it with an average kitchen knife. Guarantees my control, but I don't think the skin on the back of her neck will be any too comfortable."

Lisa narrowed her watery eyes as he approached. As he stepped closer, she flung a chair out in front of him. Anticipating it, he lunged out of the way and leaped at her, tackling her to the ground and pressing the scissors to her neck.

"Your choice, Leese," he growled as he drew blood. She cried. "Your choice."

"Bastard," she whispered tearfully, but he crawled off. She weakly sat in a chair as he began cutting at her beautiful curly locks.

When he was finally done playing beauty parlor, it was two am and Lisa was left with chin-length, straight dark chocolate hair. Jackson tossed her some bedclothing and she limply curled up in a bedroom off the kitchen, feeling as if her short life was finally coming to an end.


	7. Chapter 7

Paris urged Rory to get some sleep, and Rory tried, but Jess's image kept popping in front of her closed eyes. Finally she surrendered to insomnia and stumbled out to the common room, popping in Casablanca.  
Her cell phone chirped around two and she quickly answered it so as not to awake her suitemates.  
"Hey sweets, its Mom." Lorelai's voice was incredibly torn and ragged.  
"Hey, Mom. Are you okay?"  
"Not really," she replied flatly. "I can't sleep. I'm so scared."  
"For Lisa?" Rory finished. "Me too. Is there anything we can do?"  
"Not much," Lorelai shrugged. "The police put out search notices and are out looking, but urged us not to. Since Rippner's so dangerous."  
"So...you're going out to look tomorrow?"  
"Yup. Her father's on a red-eye up, too. Absolutely devastated. And he's bringing up a friend of hers for support. I tried to talk him out of coming, but he replied so adamantly that he could kick Jack's ass."  
"Yeah, well, didn't he shoot him?"  
"Yeah. Hope he can do it again. And again. And again. Cause when I find this bastard, I'm going to make sure he's dead."  
"Like in Jeepers Creepers," Rory giggled.  
"I was thinking more along the lines of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," Lorelai mused.  
"Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll cut off his own leg."  
"Wishful thinking. He's not a klutz."  
"Definitely not." Rory felt chilled suddenly, thinking about him.  
"Well, Luke's here, along with about half of Stars Hollow. All of us are basket cases."  
"Can I come down?"  
"Its late, Rory."  
"Please?"  
"We don't need you kidnapped, too, Ror."  
"I'll be careful! Jackson's out of the state by now, I'll bet."  
"Jess."  
"He wasn't the one who kidnapped me, Mom. He's just the wannabe Jackson."  
Lorelai hesitated. "Fine. But make Paris or Janice walk you out to your car."  
"Okay. See you in a bit."  
"Bring Doritos."  
"Nervous eater?"  
"You betcha."  
Rory hung up and grabbed her jacket, keys, and Doritos, then twisted open the door to her and Paris's room.  
Paris was sprawled out over her bed, snoring loudly, mouth wide open. Rory hesitated, chewing her lip. She really didn't want to wake any of her roommates. Oh, well, she'd be fine.  
Rory turned to leave but her phone rang again.  
"Hello?"  
No anwer.  
"HELLO?"  
Click.  
Rory rolled her eyes and headed outside.  
She got out to her car and began to unlock it but dropped the keys.  
"Damn." As she stooped to pick them up, movement behind her made her straighten."Rory."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"If your moron so much as touches Rory, Jack, I swear to-"  
"God? Don't. That saying is so cliched. I really don't know why people always insist on God. They can't choose someone like...John Wilkes Booth or someone cool like that?"  
Lisa ignored him. "I mean it. Just call him off. He's one of your dogs, right? So exercise some leash."  
"He may be, Leese, but this Rory business is personal. I have no control over that aspect. I broke him out. That's all. Now shut up."  
Lisa's face flushed angrily and she pushed herself as far away from Jackson as possible.  
"Leave me alone, anyway. You came in to give me those stupid 'goodnight' warnings, I get it, so now go away. You woke me up." Lisa jerked the blanket over her head and squeezed her eyes shut childishly.  
Jackson raised one eyebrow, silently saluted her, and left the room.  
Lisa tried to relax her body and get some rest, but she couldn't stop worrying about Jackson's ultimate plan and, more importantly, Rory.

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Rory's eyes widened and she backed up against her car, fumbling blindly to lock it.  
"Stay away, Jess!"  
She noticed a sway in his step, and his mouth was hanging slightly ajar. She frowned, and as he stepped closer, she could see his eyes. They were just as scared as hers, but slightly dilated.  
"Don't touch me!" she shrieked as the door clicked open and she lunged in, clicking the lock.  
Jess pounded on the door as desperate tears coursed down his face.  
"Please, Rory," he begged. His words were slurred slightly. "Please, help me. I've done something bad...so bad."  
Rory studied him. He was shaking. She hated him, yet...she couldn't leave him if he really was sincere.  
"Talk through the window," she called cautiously. "But I swear, if you so much as touch the car, I'm running you over."  
"I shouldn't have helped him. He told me...said...if I helped...he'd break me out. So I did and I...I did my part..."  
"Who, Jess?"  
"Jack the Ripper. He tricked me, he said that...they'd all die, everyone...they're all dead...and...gone...all...my fault..."  
"Who?" Rory's stomach flipped in half.  
"Lorelai...Uncle Luke, everyone...baby Davie...Max..."  
"No!" Rory screamed. She battled tears.  
"My...fault...its my..." Jess's eyes rolled back in his head and he fell, unconscious, to the pavement.  
Rory gazed at him, shellshocked, before pushing open her door and lifting up his body.

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Luke awkwardly held up the sign reading "Joe Reisert" in the airport. Max shot him a panicked look. He shifted nervously as an anxious looking old man and a jittery redhead raced up, carting their carry-ons.  
"Hi, I'm Luke Danes," he shook the man's hand. "You must be Lisa's dad. I'm one of her friends."  
"I would say nice to meet you, but under these circumstances it seems a bit lax," Joe admitted, cracking a tense smile. His gaze shifted to Max.  
"I'm Max Medena," he offered. "Lisa's-"  
"Fiancee," Joe finished, shooting him a polite nod and shaking his hand. "Good to meet you. This is Cynthia Ross, Lisa's friend and coworker, and right now, my sobbing shoulder."  
"Hi," she nodded shyly and gravely.  
"So do you guys have any lugga-"  
"Nope," Joe shook his head. "We packed everything we need in our carry-ons so we wouldn't be weighed down."  
Max and Luke shot each other impressed looks. Joe waited impatiently.  
"Okay," Luke began leading the way out of the airport as his cell phone rang.  
"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly at the rest of the party and kept walking.  
"Hello?"  
"Who is this?"  
Luke did a double-take. "I should ask you the same question."  
"This is Sergeant Roy Mackenzie from the Stars Hollow police department. Now who is this?"  
"Luke Danes. How did you get this number, Sergeant?"  
"Oh, sorry. I know who you are. Your number was on Ms Gilmore's address book on her phone?"  
"Yeah..." Luke bit his lip. This couldn't be good.  
"There was an accident. Ms Gilmore is currently being treated at the Hartford Medical Center, along with several others..." there was a pause and Luke heard a shuffle of papers, "her friends Sookie and Jackson...and their child."  
"What happened?" Luke stopped short in his walk, Joe irritably bumping into him.  
"There was a fire."


	8. Chapter 8

Lisa finally gave up on finding sleep and padded to the kitchen. It looked dark, and maybe she could find some food. After all, Jackson had screwed the ice cream business for her.  
She tried to adjust her eyes while at the same time feeling around for the refrigerator.  
Finally her hand grasped the handle and she pulled it open. As the inside light flooded the kitchen in a bluish haze, she caught sight of Jackson's lanky figure lounging in a chair nearby. She swore loudly and stumbled.  
Jackson laughed. "Hungry, Leese?"  
She weakly scrambled to her feet. "Maybe."  
He chuckled again and clicked on the light. Lisa shielded her eyes as Jackson reopened the refrigerator.  
"I don't know if you'll be interested in anything I've got. I'm an organic man."  
Lisa was shocked. "Odd."  
He shrugged and pulled out a plastic container of hummus.  
"You like?"  
Lisa frowned, and lied. "No," though she didn't know why.  
"Liar."  
"How-oh." It was her turn to hiss.  
They ate it with Ritz crackers, standing up, and Lisa didn't speak. She chewed and swallowed ravenously, taking large quantities. Jackson marveled.  
Suddenly, without warning, her stomach twirled like a tornado and she found herself running to the bathroom. Within seconds she was staring at everything she'd just eaten. She groaned and wiped her mouth, but it took a moment before she realized Jackson was holding her hair. She pulled away and scooted up against the bathtub.  
"You ok?" his eyes held genuine concern.  
"I'm fine," she snapped. "Just think I have the flu...or something."  
"Here." He reached up to the medicine cabinet and tossed her some Pepto-Bismol. She took two and stood on shaky knees.  
"Go get some rest." She nodded and staggered away, her heavy body collapsing on the soft sheets.

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Luke threw open the door to the emergency room at the Hartford Memorial, where he was told to find Lorelai.  
She was in a curtained-off room. Luke ran in and, seeing her conscious, praised every deity of every religion.  
Her leg was in a cast and a bandage covered one of her ears.  
"Baby, what happened?" he cried, ignoring the perplexed Joe, Cynthia, and Max behind him.  
"I don't know," she replied, shrugging limply. "Sookie, good Jackson, Davie, Dean, and I were sitting in the kitchen when I smelled smoke. Once I told them we saw flames on the porch, so we started running out of the house. On the way out, something exploded, the gas tank, I think, and I tripped. My ankle snapped and my ear got sliced on the edge of the damn magazine rack."  
"Thank God you're alive," Luke said again. "How are the others?"  
"Sookie and the unborn baby are fine, Davie is fine but was squalling quite a bit last I saw him. Jackson is being treated for minor smoke inhalation."  
"Dean?"  
Lorelai paused and darkened. "He's in the ICU. He was the last to leave the house because he waited to get us all out first. When it exploded, he was closest to the kitchen and was burned and hit his head pretty badly."  
"We have to get ahold of Rory," Luke said gravely, shutting his eyes painfully. "Do you have your phone?"  
"Other than the Jeep, it's the only thing I have left," Lorelai was on the verge of tears. "The house is gone."  
"Well, you have clothes and things at my place still, so you'll get by."  
"Yup."  
Luke tried Rory but she was out of range. After a brief introduction of Joe and Cynthia, they went to sit with Sookie and her family in the waiting room to hash out what to do next.


	9. Chapter 9

Rory's cell phone rang as she was driving past the exit sign for Hartford. She pushed past Jess's surprisingly still unconscious body for her purse.  
"Hello?"  
"Rory, its Luke, I've been trying to reach you."  
"Hey, Luke, what's-"  
"There was an accident at the house. Everyone's shaken but okay except Dean. He's alive but in pretty bad shape. Can you meet us at the Hartford Memorial Hospital?"  
Rory's breath tore. "Yeah, I-I'll be right there." She hung up, did a U-turn, and sped the rest of the way to the hospital.

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Lisa listened for sounds of movement in the small house in the early morning. She'd discovered Jackson's bedroom was right next to her own. She heard nothing, and gently eased herself out of bed.  
A floorboard creaked ever so slightly under her feet and she winced, straining her ears. When she heard nothing, she quickly tiptoed to the door. It opened silently.  
She had no idea where Jackson's car keys were, but she didn't need them. Luckily, her close cousin had been an expert at hotwiring cars and had taught her one hot Miami afternoon.  
Once outside, she ran to the car and gently shut herself inside, kneeling down to play with the wires.  
Pull there, tear there, strip there. Lisa chewed her lip and tried to get her fingers to move faster but every time they did she fumbled.  
She was so concentrated that she didn't hear the footsteps on the gravel outside. She didn't hear the door opening. She didn't hear his uneven breathing. But she felt the rough hand on her shoulder that yanked her out of the car and sent her flying to the rocks.  
She moaned and then screamed in pain as a swift kick connected with her ribs.  
"Nice thinking, Lisa," Jackson hissed, pulling her up by her shortened hair and dragging her inside. He was deaf to her pleas and especially to her screams.  
He pulled her and her burning scalp all the way to her room, where he immediately tossed her on her unmade bed and pinned her arms down with his and her legs with his knees.  
"But not nice enough." He moved to hit her again but at her desperate pleas he finally stopped.  
"Why, Lisa?" he crooned, suddenly mocking. "Why are you so scared this time?" She didn't answer, just sobbed.  
His hands grazed her slowly growing abdomen and she shut her eyes, tensing. He leaned to whisper hot in her ear. "Why? Could it be? Could Lisa Reisert be, dare I say it, pregnant?" Again, she remained silent. He grinned.  
"With the English teacher's baby," he mused.  
Lisa began crying, fat salty tears that slid down her neck.  
"Answer me," he sang. "Are you?"  
"ANSWER." He shook her shoulders. She slowly opened her eyes and croaked.  
"Yes."  
He stood up and hopped off the bed, stroking his chin in deep thought. "Wow. Why didn't you tell me?"  
Lisa weakly sat up and drew her knees to her chest. Her eyes were glazed, partially with tears, partially with exhaustion, but mostly with shock. "Don't hurt my baby, Jackson," she wailed. "Please. I will do anything, just don't, please, don't hurt it."  
He didn't speak for a while. Finally, "Why shouldn't I? You certainly haven't given me any reason not to kill you. Why should I care anymore now?"Lisa choked on her own tears. "I-I-I-don't know," she half whined, half begged. "I just know I..." she trailed off, at a desperate loss for words.  
He slowly crouched down in front of her, his face inches away. "You'll do anything?"  
Lisa looked away. "Yes," she muttered.  
He grinned smugly. "You disappear, I'll keep you alive."  
Lisa frowned. "What?"  
"Face it, Leese, you look nothing like you do now. No one will find you if you're unwilling to leave here. My deal is, you stay with me forever without a fight and little Lisa stays alive. The baby, too. Hell, we may even grow to enjoy each other."  
Lisa glared at him. "Isn't there another way?"  
Jackson lovingly stroked the Ka-Bar on his hip. Lisa swallowed hard. "Fine."

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Rory threw open the waiting room door to find Luke, Max, her mother, Sookie, and her family, plus two strangers, huddled in the corner, deep in discussion. They all looked up as she entered, then their eyes fell to the character staggering drunkenly behind her.  
Luke instantly thundered over, then grabbed the intoxicated Jess by the collar, slamming him into the wall.  
"Where are they, Jess?" he yelled. "What the fuck have you done?" But Jess just started crying again. The receptionist reached for the security button. Luke grumbled irritably and slammed Jess's head against the wall to knock him out.  
"Rory, why is he here?" Lorelai hobbled to her daughter on crutches. Rory felt horrible.  
"I-he-he sasid he knew what was going on."  
One of the strangers, an older man who was coincidentally standing close to Jess's body, waved a disgusted hand in his face. "Someone got a little overexcited with the tequila."  
Max placed a hand on Rory's shoulder. "Ror, this is Joe Reisert, Lisa's dad, and her friend, Cynthia Grey." Rory nodded politely to each of them.  
"Where's Dean?"  
Luke looked seriously into her eyes. "In there. ICU." Rory teared up again.  
"Can I...?" Luke nodded, and gave her a gentle push to the room.


	10. Chapter 10

Jackson had been on his phone a while now, and though Lisa had full permission to roam the house, she remained in her bedroom, limply sitting at the window and watching a thundercloud approach. She sighed and pulled back the curtain as fat raindrops began sliding down the glass.  
Lisa placed a hand on the small bump on her stomach. Two, almost three, months. Seven or eight months for her baby to be safe. Once delivered, he or she would always be in danger. The danger named Jackson Rippner.  
The above mentioned cracked open the door a moment later, poking his head in.  
"Leese."  
She turned. "Ever heard of knocking?"  
He shrugged. "Get used to it. Now grab a jacket. We're leaving."  
"Where are we going?"  
"Get a jacket and I'll tell you."  
Lisa scowled and grabbed a denim jacket from the closet.  
Jackson ushered her to the car and Lisa's stomach began growling again.  
"I'm hungry," she complained, though lunchtime wasn't for hours. Jackson looked at her when she finally spoke.  
"We'll eat something when we get back."  
"But I'm hungry now." Lisa knew she was being petulant, but she cared not.  
Jackson grimaced and tossed her a pack of gum. Lisa took two pieces and snapped loudly.  
He eventually stopped in front of a large lake. Lisa frowned as she opened her door and the back door, lifting out a long, black canvas bag.  
"Wha-" he didn't answer, just gripped her arm and the bag and steered her to a small white motorboat.  
"Where are we going?"  
He scowled. "Is it possible for you to go for ten minutes without asking questions?"  
She glared right back at him. "Is it possible for you to go ten minutes without being an asshole?"  
He ignored her and they sped out to the middle of the lake. Once there, he cut the engine and, still not speaking to Lisa, unzipped the bag. When Lisa saw the hand, she realized what was inside and stopped breathing.  
"Jackson," she gasped as he lifted the body from the bag. "That's-is-that's-"  
"Yes," he snapped, hoisting it up inside the bag. Lisa looked at it. She groaned for two perverse reasons. The first was for the gore. The body had nothing below the waist. Its frame stopped at the torso, legs severed. The second was that the body looked just like the Lisa pre-dye/contacts.  
Jackson began to hoist it over the edge, but Lisa felt terrible. Then, feeling as if she needed at least some sort of proper burial, she quickly removed her cross necklace and clasped it around the girl's neck. Then Lisa whispered a quick prayer to herself as Jackson smirked and shoved it overboard. Lisa, recovering from the initial shock, watched the body sink into the inky water. Then she shoved Jackson hard in the chest. He stumbled, then regained balance as she started screaming.  
"You bastard! What was that? Why did you do that? You could have at least-"  
"Shush," he growled. "That was a woman used for another job one of my subordinates was working on. I found it ironic how uncanny your resemblance was. Needless to say, she failed to perform in that job and was eliminated. I took advantage of the situation and had a few things altered. Right now, she is Lisa Reisert. When the body washes up on shore, someone will undoubtedly report it. Your dear old Maxwell and company will claim it as you, wearing the clothes you were when you disappeared, and wearing your crucifix. Nice work, by the way."  
Lisa felt faint and teared up as Jackson grinned smugly and sped back to shore.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Max was pacing. Rory had just finished her explanation of her little tag-along, and for once Luke had no idea what to do next. Lorelai took the reins.  
"Well, its quite obvious that Rory should stay here with Dean," she mused. "With his family, too, of course. But again, just as clairvoyantly, Jess should not stay here. Dean goes wakey-wakey, sees Jess, and kills himself trying to castrate Jess." Jess stirred in his sleep.  
Rory stood from the Teflon chair and nodded. "So what do we do with our little vagrant?"  
Luke thought. Lorelai thought. Rory thought. Sookie thought. Good Jackson thought. Max paced. Baby Davie slept.  
Finally Luke spoke. "I'll take him back to my place and try to squeeze some information out of him."  
Lorelai cleared her throat and it was obvious that she wasn't all fond of that idea. "Luke, if you stay back, we only have one guy in the search party. I'm not one for sexism, but I will admit that you and Max are a hell of a lot stronger than Sookie and I."  
"Well, there's always me and Cynthia," Joe offered. Luke and Lorelai exchanged looks. They didn't know them that well, or how strong each was. They could very well get the whole group in a trap set by Jackson to kill them all.  
Luke frowned, but good Jackson interjected. "Lore, you'll still have me, the other testosterone twin. I'm helping. And Joe and Cynthia too."  
"But Davie."  
"-will be left at home with Sookie," Jackson finished. Sookie struggled indignantly to her swollen pregnant feet.  
"Hey! I want to help! Lisa's my friend, too!"  
Lorelai patronizingly patted Sookie's massive stomach. "Sookie, sweetie, we love you, but you're seven months pregnant."  
"So?"  
"We don't want you to get hurt. Same with Sookie Jr, there."  
"I won't get hurt!"  
Lorelai sighed. "We're afraid you'll get us all maimed and killed because you run at the rate of a gestating sloth." Sookie snorted and sat back down, but cracked a smile.  
"So its settled then, I guess," Rory moved to a chair near Dean's upset family. "I'll keep my phone on. Be safe, guys."  
"Trust me, if anyone other than Rippner comes out of this in a bodybag, it'll be Jess," Luke grimaced and roughly hoisted the young man to his feet. The eight left the hospital as one, but broke up at their cars.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lisa didn't at first hear Jackson when he spoke.  
"You hungry?"  
"No."  
"You sure?"  
"I just saw a mutilated look-alike of me being cast into a lake, do you think I'm hungry?" Lisa snapped.  
Jackson blinked. "Just thought I'd check."  
Suddenly Lisa erupted into tears, slamming her fist on the window. "Kill me!" she shrieked. "Just kill me, please! I don't care anymore! This is no life for my baby! Just kill me!" She reached for the knife in Jackson's side pocket but he caught her wrist, swerving the car to the edge of the road with his free hand. He pinned her wrists to her knees."Lisa, you're talking crazy," he consoled softly. "Come on. You don't realize what you're doing."  
"I want to die! Kill me! Please, just do it..."  
Jackson gathered her into his arms. She fought at first, but then succumbed to further sobs and pressed herself against his chest. She knew this man and this man alone was the cause of her suicidal yearnings, but she didn't care. She just needed a shoulder to cry on. And coincidentally, he was the only one around.


	11. Chapter 11

Max was trying not to speed, but it was hard. He was just too frantic to keep his peripheral on the speedometer. As it once again darted about 75 in a 35 zone, Lorelai put a restraining arm on his shoulder from the passenger seat.

"Sorry," he muttered absently. Joe, Cynthia, and good Jackson cursed simultaneously in the back.

"I'm starting to think that Lisa ran away from the crazy man driving," Joe whispered to Cynthia in the back. She covered her mouth as she giggled. "So as to avoid getting run over."  
Jackson twisted irritably in his seat to face Joe. "That wasn't funny," he told him loudly. "Even if you were being serious."

Joe grew stoney-faced. "I know Lisa, sir, and I know she would want us to be joking and amiable at a time like this."

"Well, I know Lisa, too, and she wouldn't like you making cracks about her relationship with Max."

"Excuse me! I think I know my daughter a little better than you, Jackson. And in fact, I don't even see why you're here. You're probably affiliated with Rippner, I mean, you've got the same name and all-"

"Stop figh-" Lorelai began, but Cynthia's screechy voice cut her off.

"HOLD IT!" she screamed. Max swerved slightly as he jumped but regained control. Everyone in the small Jeep turned to look at her, with the exception of the driver, who still adjusted his mirror to see her face.

"You two are fighting about stupid things! We need to stay calm and open-minded if we want to find Lisa and arguing about whether good Jackson is bad or not isn't going to help anything. Now, Mr. Reisert, if its that big of a deal whether his name is the same as Rippner's or not, we'll change it. Meet Jack. He kills veggies for a living, not people."

There was a shocked silence for a moment as the tension melted, and then all five erupted in laughter. Joe patted Cynthia on the shoulder.

"Never would have expected that. But-uh-thanks," he admitted. She just smiled shyly, obviously not used to being the center of attention, more so not used to putting herself in that position.

They drove past a lake in the middle of nowhere during the early afternoon and Joe held up a hand to indicate Max should slow.

"Where are we?"

"About four hours from Hartford, in New Jersey. This is….Lake…Hopatcong. Huh. Never heard of it. Nice name," Lorelai squinted at the sign.

"Yeah, its what I'm going to name my first born," Cynthia sighed, running a hand through her frizzy hair.

"Okay," Joe unbuckled and Max stopped. "I need to use the bathroom…tree. Be right back. He hopped out and Lorelai turned.

"Anyone else?" Jack and Cynthia shook their heads.

They sat for a few moments in complete silence, Max laying his head on the back of his seat. Lorelai looked at him as his face turned several different colors. It contorted grotesquely as tears fell.

"I'm so stupid!" he grunted, hitting the steering wheel with his fist. It emitted a honk. He hit it again and again, and then slammed his head on it, sobbing into the leather. Lorelai rubbed his shoulder consolingly, but he jerked away.

"Max, this isn't your fault," she murmured. "Its none of our faults. Its Jackson's. And he'll get his, you know it. You'll get your revenge on him, we all will. He won't get away with this."

"I know," Max lifted his head. His face was blotchy. "But I'm just scared of what he'll do to Lisa before we can find them. She's vulnerable, you know that. She'll fight, but inevitably…."

"She'll never stop fighting, Max," Lorelai replied fiercely. "She's Lisa. If Jackson tries anything, its not going to be a walk in the park for him."

"I know," Max rubbed his face. Lorelai fell silent and finally gathered him in her arms in an embrace.

Jackson's phone rang as Lisa sat in her room and he quickly flipped it open.

"Rippner."

"This phone secure, Jackson?"

"Always. What's up, Mick?"

"Got some valuable info."  
"On the Stars Hollow shitheads? You still tailing them?"

"Yup. Word to the watch, however, they're getting closer. In New Jersey already, by the lake where you supposedly dumped Lisa."

"And you are….?"  
"About a mile into the woods from where they parked their car. I can see them, but very distantly through a speck in the trees. Anyway…"

"Yeah, sorry, go on."

"I got a pic that you can use as propaganda against this Medena character."

"Do tell."

"Of him and the bitch Gilmore."

"Ooh, I see. Transmit it."

Within seconds the photo popped up on Jackson's phone screen. Perfect.

"Great. Keep up the good work."

"Will do. Good luck training the whore."

Jackson tensed. "You ever say that again, Mick, and I'll snap your neck."

"Sorry, sir."

Luke made sure Jess's hands were securely fastened behind the chair and pulled up another folding chair in front of him, plopping down and waiting for his nephew to awake.

He was prepared to use whatever means necessary to get what he needed from Jess, whether those means be physical or mental.

His heart ached as he surveyed the young man in front of him. It hadn't been so long ago that Jess had sat in this very apartment, lived here, in fact. Jess Mariano was Luke's nephew, for crying out loud. How could he have turned out like this?

Luke knew by the nagging feeling in his chest that Liz would either have been killed off or bought off by Jackson's company by now, she knew too much. Or more likely, she was threatened and living in hiding, coward she was. Even for her own son's welfare she wouldn't come out. Luke knew that for a fact.

Jess awoke in front of him with a start, then tried to rub his hungover head but found his hands restrained. He groaned and finally squinted at his uncle.

"Umphmumphmoompungoomp," he muttered.

"Didn't catch that," Luke yelled. Jess winced, obviously in pain. Luke played that up.

"What the hell am I doing here?" Jess snarled, trying to rock himself out of the chair.

"Giving me information," Luke answered cheerfully.

"When pigs eat shit out of my mouth," Jess growled. "I don't know anything."

"Think you do," Luke persisted. "I'm not going to play games, Jess. Its like this: you tell me where Jackson took Lisa, what his plans are for her, and if you freaks had anything to do with the fire, or I send you back to jail. If you don't tell me within the first three tries, after every chance you'll meet my friend Dr. Fullblast Boombox. He'll be toying with your head today."

"I can't tell you," Jess whined. "Jackson will kill me. Literally!"

Luke twisted the volume knob up to its max, and loud metal music filled the room. Jess moaned in agony until Luke turned it off two minutes later.

"That hurts!" Jess squeezed his eyes shut.

"Tequila does have that effect on ones' senses," Luke snorted. "Tell me."

"I told you, I-"

Luke reached, but Jess's squeals stopped him.

"Wait! I'll-I'll tell you. He-he killed her and dumped her body in Lake Hopatcong."

Luke's stomach convulsed. "What?"

"He said-said-she knew too much and caused him too much trouble….so-so-he raped her and killed her."

Luke put a hand over his mouth to fight back vomit. Finally, when he'd eased it back again, he spoke, voice thick.

"Did-did you start-start………fire?"

Jess nodded hesitantly. "Yes. Jackson's orders."

Luke nodded numbly and pulled out his phone.


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh, no," Lorelai began sobbing. "No, no, no, that can't be true…."

"I'm sorry, Lore," Luke choked up on the other end of the phone. Max grabbed Lorelai's arm, anxious to know who she was talking to and what about.

"So what now?" she whispered dejectedly to her fiancée.

"I-"

Lorelai missed the rest as Joe's frenetic cries pierced the air.

"Hold on, Luke!" Lorelai set her phone on the dash and jumped from the car.

Joe fell to the shore, pressing his face to the wet dirt and convulsing as he wailed.

"My baby, oh, Lisa, no…"

It took Lorelai only a second to see Lisa's soaked and incredibly maimed corpse next to him. The body was legless but undoubtedly Lisa Reisert.

"Oh, God," she murmured, turning and shutting her eyes. Max's steps slowed behind her as he saw Lisa. He fell to his knees, quivering, next to her and despite the gore took her face in his hands.

Her silver crucifix glinted in the sunlight and he gently removed it, clutching it to his chest.

Lorelai could only imagine his pain. She scooted next to him and placed a hand on his shoulders. He jerked away and shuddered as tears fell.

She took his hand and Lorelai spoke. "Max, come on. We'll send the police for her body, we can't take it now. I'm so sor-"

"Wait!" he snapped, studying Lisa's hand. He dropped Lorelai's and exchanged it for his dead fiancee's. Then he frantically pawed in the sand around her.

"Max, come o-"

"No ring!" he cried urgently, grabbing Lorelai's arm again. "Her ring isn't here!"

"I'm sure Jackson took it or something."

"And the tshirt!" he grabbed the tag. "Large! Lisa's a medium!"

"Max, calm down. I don't see what you're getting at here."

Joe padded over. "I think what he's saying is that this might not be Lisa."

"Who else could it be? How many look-alikes do you think Jackson drops in a lake in one day?"

Max studied the body and then after a moment, dialed 911 on his cell phone.

"Hi, I'd like to report a body. No, I don't know who. The East coast of Lake Hopatcong. Yeah. Five minutes. Thanks." He hung up.

"When they get her to the morgue and run an autopsy, you'll see. This girl, I can tell. She doesn't look pregnant."

"So?" Joe snapped.

"Lisa is."

Joe paled. "God save her soul."

Luke waited until Lorelai came back to her phone.

"We found Lisa's body," but she was excited.

"Am I missing something?"

"But its not her. Max figured it out. The girl we found isn't pregnant, has no ring, is a bit bigger," Lorelai explained. "We're still not 100 sure, but Max definitely is."

"Lisa's still probably dead, though, Lore."

"This is the lake, though, Luke. The cops are here, and they already had a lead into New Jersey from a WalMart about an hour from here. This has to be it, it's the only thing that makes sense. Jackson dumped a girl here to throw us off, but he has Leese somewhere else."  
Luke swore triumphantly. "So Jess lied?"

"Jess lied."

Luke hung up and backhanded Jess square in the face.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Blood trickled a black line from his nose to his mouth.

"For being a prick. You gave me false information, you moron. Tell me the truth or I'm calling the cops."  
Jess took a deep breath, and then began to recite an address.

It was late afternoon as Lisa sat absently on the couch, fiddling with a royal blue satin pillow.

Jackson strolled in from a side room. "Hey. You look entertained."

"I am." She didn't look at him.

"Want to do something?"

"No."

Jackson casually strode to the tv cabinet, where he opened a door and peered inside. "Scrabble, Clue, Life, Monopoly, Yahtzee, chess, and checkers," he recited. Lisa lookd up.

"What?"

"Pick one."

"No."

"Lisa."

She sighed angrily. "You're like a toddler. Clue."

"Ooh, good one," he grinned and pulled it out. "I'm going to kick your ass."

Lisa shrunk back and Jackson laughed. "I'm kidding, Leese. I mean in the game."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm so used to the violent threats that I don't know what's serious anymore."

He just sighed and began setting it up on the hardwood floor. Lisa stared at him.

"Okay," he rolled the die. "Five. You go."

"Six. I go first." But Lisa didn't move. She sat staring at the board for a minute.

"Leese?"

"Is this how its going to be from now on?" she said quietly. "Are you seriously just going to pretend we don't have a lifetime of talking to do?"

Jackson sighed and set down his game piece. "You're right."


	13. Chapter 13

"Mr. Medena, I'm not sure whether you'll take this as good or bad news," the doctor running the autopsy sighed as he left the morgue.

Max paced in front of him and urged him on, figuring he'd tell the others after.

"Lisa is not dead, as far as we know. This is the body of 29-year-old Marissa Montego. She's been missing since she was apparently snatched from her home last week."  
Max cheered. "So, why would that be bad? My wife is still alive."

"Yeah…but she's the captive of a complete psycopath."

Max's shoulders slumped and he hung his head sadly. "True. So what should I do?"

"I'm a doctor, sir," the man sighed, snapping his plastic examining gloves back on. "Not a detective. But good luck and Godspeed."

Max nodded and left the room to tell his excited friends the latest update.

"I can't believe you were an army brat," Lisa shook her head. "So, what happened then?"  
"My dad died," Jackson sighed. "Operation Desert Storm. Shot. I was so angry, after that, even though we didn't get along. My mom kind of….left, in a manner of speaking. She stopped caring about me, just went out to get high and drunk every night, sleeping with various strangers. It was like she was pretending to be young again so she wouldn't have to deal with her loss."

"So what did you do?"

"I came to resent government. I was so angry, so full of rage that they had fucked up my family, I…"

"…decided to be an assassin and kill politicians," Lisa sighed. "Makes sense, I guess."

He nodded. "And then my mom-" his phone rang. He held up a finger signaling Lisa to wait and left the room.

Lisa slumped back against the couch and ran a hand through her already tousled hair. It explained a lot, why Jackson was the way he was, control freak and obsessed with violence. That's the way his whole life had been.

She knew there was no excuse. But somehow, something in side of her just gave way a little bit, like an invisible dam of resentment.

"Rippner. Talk to me."

"Its me. We've got a problem."

"Yeah?"

"They found the body."

"Great. So what's the big deal?"

"They know its not Lisa."  
Jackson swore but kept his voice low so Lisa wouldn't hear. "How the hell did they figure that out?"

"Max seems obsessed with her, for one thing. The shirt was a different size, she had no ring, she wasn't pregnant."

"Damn it, Mick, you could have made sure the shirt was the right size, at least. Fucking moron."

"Sorry, sir, but the medium just wouldn't fit."  
Jackson sighed angrily. "So, what now?"

"They figured out it was really Montego, and Gilmore called her fiancée."  
"You got tabs on her phone?"

"On all of their phones, sir."

"What did she say?"  
"Told him Lisa wasn't Lisa, and then her fiancée got the information from Jess, where you guys were. They're heading there now."

"Shit. Where are they?"

"I'm guessing two hours from where you are."

"Goddamnit. Alright, thanks for the update. Keep me posted. I'm gonna kill Jess."


	14. Chapter 14

Lisa crossed her legs underneath her as Jackson returned.

"Who was that, Jackson?"

He eyed her suspiciously. "Curiosity killed the cat, Leese."

She shrank back. "Geez."

"Sorry. It was just an associate I work with."

"Thus defining 'associate'."

Jackson rolled his eyes and sat back down. "Where were we?"

"I think you were about to tell me what has you so moody all of a sudden."

Jackson was forced to think quick. He obviously couldn't tell Lisa about how her friends were fast approaching, he needed to make something up, something that would….

Suddenly it hit him. It would be hard, but…she was so openminded and heck, vulnerable right now.

"I have something I really, really need to tell you."

She frowned. "Okay. Shoot."

"You're not going to take it well."

"Got it."

"And you may get mad at me."

"Jackson, just say it already."

"I think I love you." There. He got it out. Maybe it was a lie, maybe he did feel something. All he knew was that, sure as he was sitting there, that he was not going to let Medena take Lisa away from him.

Her jaw fell open ever so slightly, in a way that was cute but definitely not intended. She quickly began sputtering, and then fell silent. It was all Jackson could do not to laugh. Finally she slapped him, which left him breathless with shock.

"What was that for?"

"For being a jerk!" she cried. "How can you say that to me?"

"I'm sorry, Lisa, forgive me, but that's what I feel," he pounded his chest. "In here. I can't keep that in. I know I'm going all preachy, but I do. I love you. I've loved you since I first met you, way back then. I'm sorry if this hurts your feelings, but its way too big a feeling for me to keep in."

"How can you expect me to love you," she whispered sadly. "when you're holding me captive in exchange for the life of my child? And when I'm engaged to be married to a wonderful man, a man with morals, with humanity?"

"I don't know, Leese," he threw up his hands. "I really don't. And this is crazy, I know. I shouldn't love you. You're the bitch who stabbed me in the neck. And you have no reason to feel something for me. But you do. I can see it in your eyes. Its there, clear as day. It's the reason that you told me about your scar. It's the reason that you didn't shoot me again to make sure I was dead back in your house. It's the reason you're listening to me now."

Her lip trembled as Jackson leaned closer to her. "And it's the reason…"

He wouldn't remember who made the first move. He wouldn't remember who it was that first stood, moving the other to the bedroom.

But he would remember the taste of her lips, the feel of the soft cotton linens on his skin. He would remember the look of passion, the look of certain uncertainty in her eyes. And he would remember her words the most.

"I can't do this. Jackson, I can't."

And his. "You want to. Lisa, you know it. Just be human for once…."

And the thing that stung him the most, that was most vivid in his mind…was that she listened.


	15. Chapter 15

ONE HOUR LATER

Max was exhilarated and angry as they bounced along the bumpy dirt backroad. Lorelai had her head pressed against the back of the seat as her next wave of nausea overcame her.

"Sorry, Lore, I really am," he muttered. "But if Jackson has any inkling we're coming, I don't want to miss him."

"No problem," she croaked and held a hand over her mouth.

Max pulled out his phone and dialed Luke as he drove.

There was no answer, so Max swore and threw it to the floor.

Jess knew Jackson would be beyond angry with him when he found out he'd given away his hideout, murderous, perhaps. So he began plotting deep inside his mind what he needed to do.

Jackson had put him through a brief training, a makeshift, discreet one in the prison. It was moreover a description of several rudimentary skills he'd need as an assassin.

One was coming back to mind now, an extremely convenient one at that. Now all he needed was an opportunity.

He received one as Luke's phone rang downstairs in the diner. Luke studied him carefully.

"Can I trust you to not move?" Luke asked warily. Then he chuckled. "Of course I can. You're tied up." He left and locked the door, just in case, behind him. Jess snorted disbelievingly. How he loved being underestimated.

He worked quickly at the bonds on his wrists, using the ends of his fingers to guide the rope where it needed to go. Jackson had taught him down to a square exactly what needed to happen to achieve perfection.

The knot finally loosened enough for him to slide his hands out, and then it took seconds to release his feet. Then he hopped up and grabbed a large baseball bat from Luke's bedroom, darting to the main door and twisting the knob. Locked. He forgot. He swore quietly, reaching into his pocket for a bobby pin. He inserted it into the lock and soon it popped open. He felt triumphant, silently thanking Jackson for being so intelligent.

He snuck downstairs and heard Luke on the phone.

"….side of fries, ok….onion rings? I thought you wanted fries. No, you only get one side….I don't care how many sides you get at Al's, you only get one here…..no, I won't give you a discount…no….no….ok, you know what, we're closed!" Luke slammed the phone down and headed back upstairs. He ultimately encountered Jess.

"Sorry, Uncle Luke," Jess grinned as he slammed his uncle in the head with the bat. Luke fell to the floor, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead. Jess smiled and crouched down next to him. "I wanted two sides as well."

Jess ran outside, jumped into Luke's truck, and was off.

Jackson woke before Lisa and pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a large sweatshirt. He smiled at her on the bed, auburn hair splayed out across the cotton pillowcase, pale skin slightly flushed with sleep. Even if he didn't love her, this sure was a nice way to spend an evening.

He padded out to the living room, where the early moon light shone through the royal blue curtains. He pulled them open and was about to start cooking dinner when his phone buzzed from deep in his jacket pocket.

He ran to the bedroom and quickly grabbed his bundle of clothes from the floor, bringing them back to the living room. He dug through the mess until he found his suit jacket, and then he retrieved his phone.

"Rippner," he was out of breath. Man, he was getting old.

"Hello, sir, this is Jess."

Jackson was livid. "Jess, you arrogant son of a bitch. What the hell were you thinking, compromising my safe house? You risked fucking up the whole job just for the sake of your own skin and-"

"Well, what is the job, Jack? Steal the broad and fuck her? I think you most likely already accomplished that."

Jackson turned red with rage, but he knew Jess was right. It wasn't really a job, just his secret adventure. "Watch it, Jess. You're treading on thin ice there. I could send any one of my guys over to the diner to finish you off right now. Speaking of which, how exactly are you talking to me now?"

"I untied myself, unlocked the door, and beat up Luke with a baseball bat." He seemed so nonchalant. Jackson couldn't help but feel a small surge of pride. He taught the kid that, after all.

"Nice job. So where are you now?"

"Heading to your place."

"Good. I'll need your help as long as you're not going to get all pussy on me again."

"I won't."

"Fantastic. Make sure no one's following you and be here within the hour."

"I'm roughly four hours away, sir."

"Four hours away doing the speed limit."

"I'll try."

"Don't try, Grandma, just do it."


	16. Chapter 16

Max cut the engine on the car about a quarter mile from the cabin. He saw it in the distance. Swerving his body to face the others, he spoke quietly and urgently.

"What we're going to do is swarm the house, in a manner of speaking. Lorelai, Jack, and I will cover the left side and look for entry and I want Joe and Cynthia to circle the other side of the house and look for a window of entrance. That way, in case something happens to one half of us and Rippner is occupied, the other group can look for Leese. We good?"

"Yeah, one question," Cynthia timidly raised a hand.

"We're not in school, Cynthia. You don't have to raise your hand."

She blushed. "Yeah. Sorry. Um…why don't we just use the front door?"

Max sighed and looked at Lorelai. They didn't answer the obvious question, just hopped out of the Jeep. Cynthia let it go.

Max discreetly leaned back into the backseat as soon as everyone was out and lifted it up. Underneath was a small handgun, which he tucked into his backpocket. Just in case.

They silently ran to their different places and Max, Lorelai, and Jack looked for a window inside.

"I don't see one," Lorelai muttered to Max. "It looks fairly secure."

"Wait," Max pointed upwards about seven feet. "Right there. If someone stands on my shoulders, I think they should be able to easily get inside. Once there, hopefully its unlocked, if not, do either of you know lockpicking?" Jack raised a hand. "Okay, you can go up. If its locked, you'll fiddle with it and we'll get inside to surprise Rippner. We set?" The other two both nodded anxiously.

Max crouched down, facing the side of the house so Jack would be better supported, and Jack climbed on his shoulders. Max grunted in pain as Jack looked around.

"I don't see anyone!" he whispered. "We're definitely going to get the jump on them?"  
Lorelai screamed.

"The jump on who?" said that smooth, deep voice. Jack fell off Max's shoulders and Max quickly lept up.

Jackson had a vice grip around Lorelai's neck, and she was deprived of air totally. She made short gasping noises but Jackson let up a bit, pressing the blade of a 12-inch knife to her chest.

"Let her go, Rippner," Max pleaded. "She hasn't done anything."

"Except shoot me," Jackson pointed out. "I think I have ample reason to be a little pissed."

"What do we have to do for you to let her go?" Jack asked cautiously.

"Ah, Jackson, isn't it, my friend?"

"It is Jackson, but I'm not your friend."

"No problem. All I request is that you leave. Now. And then I'll let Lorelai go."

"No," Max grunted. "We aren't leaving until we have Lisa."

"Well, my, that could pose a problem," Jackson tsked, obviously enjoying himself. Steady streams of tears ran down Lorelai's face. "See, I think I want Lisa to stay here and by what happened today I think she wants to remain here as well."

Max stiffened. "What happened today?"

They all turned as they heard footsteps coming around the house. Lisa appeared in a long button-down shirt that fell to her knees. Her face was pink with sleep and her hair messy. Even so, Max thought she had never looked lovelier. He began to run to her but when Lorelai screamed he stopped in his tracks.

"Mr. Medena, kindly step away before Lorelai's cut grows deeper," he said slickly as a stream of blood ran down Lorelai's shirt. Max inhaled and stepped back next to Jack.

Lisa rubbed her eyes, obviously thinking she was still dreaming. "Jackson? What's going on?" She finally saw Max and began crying. "Max!"

"Stay back, Leese, sweetheart," Jackson ordered. Lisa looked at him and saw Lorelai.

"Jackson, asshole, let her go!"

"Ah, ah, ah, Lisa.

"So, Medena, what do you say, you gonna leave?"

"I say, no," he replied stubbornly. "Not without Lisa."

"Please, Jackson," Lisa begged him, tears flying. "Please, let me go."

In his brief hesitation Max noticed Jackson's eyes change. He seemed….jealous, almost. But more so angry.

"Why do you want to go now, Lisa?" Jackson taunted. "When the fun was just beginning?"  
"Don't do this, Jackson, please," she urged him desperately. Max was confused.

"What, Lisa? What's going on?" Max asked.

"Yes, what, Lisa? What's going on? Tell your fiancée what exactly is going on."

"No," she croaked, bursting into tears.

"Tell him, Lisa, or I will."

"Lisa, please."

She just shook her head abashedly and covered her face.

Jackson grinned sadistically and turned to face Max and Jack.

"We had sex, guys," he announced. "And in case you're wondering, I wasn't the one who made the first move. Lisa was. So no, I did not rape her."

Max's throat closed. "L-Lisa?" he choked out. "Is….is that….is that true?"

She slowly raised her head and nodded ever so slightly. Max turned from the group and shut his eyes painfully. No. No. No. She couldn't have. This wasn't happening. It was a nightmare. He pinched himself. Ouch. Nope. He turned back around to face Jackson.

"I still want her back," he finally said. Jack nodded vigorously next to him.

"Too damn bad," Jackson snapped. "She sold her soul in exchange for the life of her baby. She's mine forever."

"Do you realize how medieval you sound?" Lorelai managed from his grip. He growled irritably.

"I don't care. Now, do you want Ms. Gilmore to keep her head, or do you want to stay chatting it up a little more?"  
Max thought. "I can't leave you, Lisa."

"Just go, Max," she begged him through tears. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

_More than I already have? _ He thought briefly of the handgun in his pocket but decided against it. He couldn't risk hitting Lorelai. But Lisa…..he didn't want to leave her, but he had no choice. He could think of nothing to do, nothing at all. He looked inquiringly at Jack. Jack shook his head sadly.

"Fine," Max muttered, fighting back tears as he sealed his beloved's fate.

"Finally coming to your senses," Jackson snorted. "Do us all a favor and remember, English teacher, that you can't bargain with me. I get what I want and what I want is forever."

Max didn't answer.

"Now, you get up that hill up to your car where you parked it and I saw you park it ten minutes ago, and, once you all are inside and buckled in, I let Lorelai go. She'll run up the hill and I'll give her two minutes. She dilly-dallies or takes longer than that and I shoot her. Understand, everyone?"

They all nodded grimly.

"Good. Now, get going."

"Wait," Max requested quietly. "Can I just…just say goodbye?"

Jackson rolled his eyes, as if it were a huge hassle. "Fine, but hurry up. You have exactly one minute."

Max ran to Lisa, taking her in his arms. She slumped into his chest.

"Lisa, tell me the truth, were you telling the truth about…you know?" he spoke not in a whisper but in a voice low enough so only she could hear.

"I am," she murmured. "I don't know why I did it, Max, I'm so sorry….I don't love him, I love you. I'm so sorry. I understand if you hate me forever…."

"I don't hate you, I love you too," he hugged her tightly. "But I can't believe you did that and I'm so angry at you right now but I'm more sad. I'll get you out of here, I promise. Jackson Rippner will rue the day he ever began stalking you."

She smiled a little at that and they kissed one last time.

"Enough already, you two. Break it up."

Max squeezed her shoulder and stepped back. Her face looked miserable, and her eyes were bloodshot and wet.

"Up to the car. Now."

Max choked up as he and Jack jogged to the Jeep. They got inside, Jack up front this time, and Max exploded, tears running down his cheeks. Jack clutched his shoulder but froze as he squinted at something down below.

"What the hell….?"


	17. Chapter 17

Cynthia saw the knife glinting on Lorelai's throat as she approached from behind and didn't think twice before leaping with a yell onto Jackson's back. He bellowed as Lorelai screamed and moved away. Jackson thundered to the wet dirt, Cynthia straddling him and beating him as hard as she could in the face with her flashlight.

Lorelai moaned and clutched her face, where a shallow one-inch cut bled from her hairline to her nose. Her eyes had been barely spared by Jackson's flying knife blade.

Jackson easily overpowered the small, angry woman on top of him and slammed his head into hers, rendering her unconscious. Lorelai grabbed the scuttling knife and pointed it at him.

Lisa and Joe clung to each other nearby, Lisa watching horrified as the man who'd just an hour ago been so tender grew vicious and bloodthirsty.

Jackson turned to Lorelai, then back to Cynthia as if for confirmation she was out. When his gaze returned once more to Lorelai, he had a gun in his hands. He didn't think twice before firing it into Lorelai's uninjured leg. It hit her knee. She screamed and moaned in agony before crumpling to the ground. The knife fell and Jackson scooped it up, tucking it back into his beltloop.

"What next, Lore?" he shouted. "Your other knee? Your ankles? I've got all fucking day. Maybe I'll shoot out every single ligament in your body before mercifully putting you out of your misery."

"Jackson, please, stop," Lisa sobbed.

"Get out of here!" he bellowed to Joe. Cynthia was waking up. "All of you! Before I kill you!"

Cynthia, rubbing her head, hobbled to Joe and helped him lift the now unconscious Lorelai up. Joe had her arms and Cynthia her legs as they sidestepped up the hill.

"What happened?" Max demanded to know once they had gotten inside. He had wanted so badly to help them but was afraid to get out and endanger himself. "We heard the gunshot and all but couldn't see that well or hear what everyone was saying."

Lorelai had thick tears streaming down her face and she oozed blood everywhere. Her face was contorted grotesquely and she was in so much pain her words had turned into gibberish-ridden moans.

"Oh, God," Max shut his eyes, starting the car. "We've got to get her to the hospital. Cynthia, are you ok? It looked like something happened to you down there, too."

"He just hit me in the head," she groaned. "I'm fine. But since we're going to the hospital anyway…."

"Got it." Max hit his foot on the pedal and they were off. But he couldn't help but steal a glance back at his beloved collapsing on the sand, knowing it would be the last time he ever saw her.

Rory had a difficult time looking at Dean's face, with the charred skin still continuing to involuntarily peel off. Most of it was bandaged, but nevertheless there were parts she could still see through to. It hurt her, a lot, to see that she was kind of the cause of it.

Jess. It all boiled down to Jess. Luke had called her to tell her the news, and Rory blamed herself for ever getting involved with the scumbag. It was apparent that Dean's parents did, too, though they never actually vocalized it.

Rory had tried to sit in the waiting room with them for a while, but all she'd received was stony glares, all except for his little sister, who'd always been infatuated with Rory. But even she must have felt some begrudgement against Rory.

She felt another sob bubble in her throat as she looked at his comatose form. The door behind her suddenly opened and she turned. It was his mother.

"Hi," Rory said quietly, turning back to her boyfriend, cheeks burning.

"Hi, Ror," she murmured, pulling up a chair next to her. "How are you doing?"

"As good as can be expected, I suppose," Rory sighed. "You?"

"Not so great," his mother shut her eyes painfully. "Praying. A lot."

"Me too."

There was a long silence, and then his mother took a deep breath.

"You can't blame yourself for this, you know, Rory."

"Why not?"

"Because it wasn't your fault. Sure, you may have dated that piece of garbage but still…you didn't ask for this. I'm sorry if we made it seem otherwise. We're just hurting a lot too, you know."

"Of course you are. And thanks for that. But I'll never, ever, be able to forgive myself."

Her phone went off suddenly, and she stood to take it to the waiting room. Once there, she was harangued by a nurse who pointed vividly at the NO PHONES sign. Rory grumbled and ran down a flight of stairs outside.

She was out of breath when she answered it. "H-hello?"  
There was no answer. Rory moaned, figuring they must have hung up. She put it back in her purse and began to walk back inside by the light of the moon.

She didn't anticipate being asphyxiated with a soaked cloth or thrown into the backseat of Jess Mariano's car, however.


	18. Chapter 18

Jess impatiently dialed Jackson's phone, stealing another glance at the sleeping Rory in the backseat. Surely Rippner wouldn't mind his tag-along. Heck, Lisa would probably enjoy the familiar face and company.

Lisa pressed herself onto the wet sand and wouldn't let Jackson try to console her.

"Lisa, its what had to be done. They weren't going to take you."

"You didn't have to tell him, Jack," she spat at him. "You didn't have to tell him."

"And why not?" he snapped. "It was the truth, dammit!"

"So?" she sobbed. "And you hurt them, Jackson. Lorelai could die thanks to you."  
"I could have died when she shot me!"

"Two wrongs don't make a right!"

"They do in my book." He grabbed her arm but due to her unpermitting position he nearly ripped it out of the socket trying to hoist her back up. She screeched and rolled over.

"Come on, Lisa, get up," Jackson tugged her arm again. She stubbornly lay limp.

"Fine then." He bent down and hoisted her over his shoulder. She screamed at him.

"Let me go, you cocky bastard! Jackson! I hate you, let me down! Ah!" she pounded on his back with her fists but he just grinned and carried her back inside.

Once in there, his phone rang.

"Rippner."

"Hey, sir, its Jess."

"Where the hell were you? I could have used your help!"  
"I'm sorry, sir, but I have something that may make you happy."

"Which is?"

"Rory Gilmore."

Now Jackson was mad. "And why would she make me happy? I have Lisa."

"She makes Lisa happy. And if Lisa's happy…."

He was catching on. "….I'm happy. Got it. So, what did you do, just kidnap her from the hospital?"

"Pretty much, yup. We're on the driveway leading in."

"Perfect. She awake?"  
"Starting to come to, sir. I drugged her."

"You're getting better, underdog. See you in a few."

Jackson hung up and smiled smugly at Lisa. "I have a surprise for you."

Rory rubbed her eyes and fought back the headache and wave of nausea that overcame her.

She moaned and looked around. Jess. Of course.

"Jess, you asshole! Did you kidnap me again?"  
"No, I gave you the daterape drug and you had sex with me and now I'm driving you home. What do you think?"

"Well, I wouldn't put anything past you. Here I trusted you and now you…"

"Yeah, you 'trusted me' when I'd had about ten shots of tequila. And then you had the goodwill to hand me over to a complete psycopath to be interrogated. Nice heart you've got there, Mother Teresa."

"Hey, I have excuses. Where are we going?"

Jess loved that about her. Her free will and indignant manner despite the somewhat creepy circumstances.

"You'll see. It's a surprise. But I guarantee you'll love it there."

"If its not my home, then I won't."

"Oops, sorry. My bad."

She fell silent as they pulled up to a log cabin in the middle of the woods. Rory frowned. "What, you got sick of the France idea so now its Little House in the Big Woods?"

"I like your thought pattern, but no. This is Jackson's place." Rory's eyes widened, partially from shock and partially fear.

"I'm not going in there," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, you are," he ordered. "It's the underground. Our new home."

"Since when is there an 'our'?" she replied angrily as they parked. "I am in no way affiliated with you, mark my words."

Jess rolled his eyes and walked to the other side of the car, pulling her out roughly. Rory was surprised how strong he'd gotten since their last encounter. Jail must have toughened him up a bit. She screamed at the top of her lungs as he carried her over his shoulder into the house.

"You can do that all you like, love, no one's going to hear you. All you succeed in is pissing me off and probably waking up Lisa and Jackson."

Rory hated the way he made their actions collective, Lisa and Jackson. As if they were….ugh.

He opened the door with a card key and they went inside to the foyer to hear Lisa's screaming and Jackson's yells.

"Fuck, Lisa, you need to eat something!"  
"I said, I'm not fucking hungry! I'll eat when I'm ready!"

"You haven't eaten all day! The baby, Leese! The fucking baby you supposedly care so much about!"

"Screw you!"

"Fine!" They heard a thud, Lisa screaming again, and then some sound of fabric on fabric. Then they heard, "Wait here," from Jackson, and from Lisa, "As if I have any other choice."

Jess carried the struggling Rory into the kitchen, where Lisa sat with her arms tied to the arms of a dining chair, her face tearstained and livid, a plate of food in front of her. Jackson turned as they entered, a fork in his hands.

"Hey, guys," he greeted with a smile. "We were just getting ready to have some dinner. Hungry?"

"No," Rory snapped, but Jess's nod was the only thing noticed. She rolled her eyes. Jess set her down in a chair and bound her the same way Lisa had been. Rory struggled adamantly as he did so, but succeeded only in biting him in the arm. He howled and backed away, clutching his arm. Jackson rolled his eyes and advanced in, pushing Jess aside and finishing the job, only pulling the ropes tighter and more fiercely. Rory cried out quietly in pain.

"During your stay, here, Ms. Gilmore, you'll learn that if you don't comply with Jess, I'll deal with you, and its going to be a hell of a lot more painful. Right, Leese?"

She shot him a simpering glare and then looked sympathetically at Rory. "Hey, Rory," she said softly. "Welcome to hell."


	19. Chapter 19

Lorelai continued to slip from consciousness as the Jeep raced along the narrow backroads. Max kept worriedly glancing back at her but tried not to, for he got going too roughly and the jolts the potholes caused made Lorelai scream in anguish.

"One of you call Luke," Max ordered. No one moved. "FUCK, CALL LUKE!"

Jack fumbled for his phone and punched in his speed dial. He waited a beat, then was sent to voicemail.

"Luke, pick up your phone. Come on, we've got an emergency. Lorelai's-well, I won't go into details here, but its bad. Meet us at…" he turned to Max. Max thought.

"I don't know," he answered. "We have to find a hospital near here first. We'll call him."

Jack finished his message and pocketed his phone.

"Look for a first aid kit," Joe instructed Cynthia. She nodded, unbuckling and looking to the back.

"I don't see one!"

"Lore, honey," Joe took Lorelai's hand even though he barely knew her. "Sweetie, we need a first aid kit. Where do you keep one in here?"

She just moaned.

"Please, honey, for you. If you want to live we need to know."

"The-the-uhhh….under….under….seat…."

Cynthia stretched and reached under her seat, extracting an ancient first aid kit. She awkwardly unlatched it and found a gauze pad.

Joe pressed it to Lorelai's knee and she screamed in misery. He muttered a few words of comfort and she lay sobbing and groaning.

Max saw a roadsign for a Dover hospital and swerved in the proper direction, nearly sending the unbuckled Joe, Cynthia, and Lorelai hurtling out of their seats. They held on to Lorelai's hallucinating body and kept her from propelling forward.

Within several minutes they had arrived at the Dover General and Max and Jack helped carry Lorelai inside.

As Cynthia helped open the door, Lorelai began gasping for air that was already available to her. Once inside, she muttered, "Tell Rory and Luke that I love them," before shutting her eyes.

X X X X X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X X X X X X X X

Rory felt like she was in prison. Every move she and Lisa made was monitored by either Jess or Jackson. It wasn't like her first capture. This time, Jess was much more prepared, much more birdlike in his reflexes, and much more like Jackson. He could have been his younger brother, in fact.

Lisa wasn't happy either. But at least she hadn't made the fourteen escape efforts in two hours like Rory had. They consisted of three windows attempts, four simple front door endeavors, five 'tackle Jess and run' tries, and two downright pleadings with the men for them to let Lisa and her go. Lisa had joined in on the last two but it was all in vain.

"You made a bargain, Leese," Jackson reminded her coyly. "And Rory, sweetheart, if you don't shut up, we'll find something to your leverage as well."

Later, Lisa confronted Jackson as he was doing the dishes. "Why?" she asked.

"Why…am I using orange scented dish detergent? I don't know. I actually prefer berry."

"No, dumbass, why is Rory here? She's done nothing!"

Jackson turned and sighed. "Because, if you'll recall, I promised her to Jess almost a year ago as a prize for joining the organization. Everyone gets one."

"Yeah? What's yours?"

He grinned and turned back to his chore. "I decided to wait for mine."

"And….?"

"And its you."

Lisa felt sick. She was just some toy, some little reward for Jackson for being a good little boy.

"You people are sick," she said as a sob clotted in her throat and she ran back to her room.

Rory and Lisa shared a room. Currently Rory was sitting on her side of the kingsized bed they shared. Lisa entered and she looked up.

"Hey," Rory said softly, detecting the tears in Lisa's eyes. "Have you found anything out yet, why we're here?"

Lisa didn't speak for a minute, but when she did, her voice was flat. "I knew why I was here before. To save the life of my baby."

"That makes no sense."

"Jackson kidnapped me and had planned to kill me. Or so I thought. He actually intended to keep me all along and I just dug myself a deeper hole of entrapment. I begged him not to kill me so my baby would be safe. He agreed, on the terms that I stay with him forever."

"Oh. Asshole."

"Agreed. But I'm actually here….I'm actually here because….."

"Because why?"

Lisa covered her mouth with her hand until she found strength to speak again. "Because I'm an incentive for him, Rory, a prize that he received in exchange for killing innocent souls for his company."

"So that's why I'm…."

"Yeah."

"We have to get out of here."

Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx

Jackson called Jess in for a powwow once he had finished with the dishes. They sat on the couch and spoke in hushed tones.

"We can't stay here," Jackson decided with a grumble. "Your little antic back at the diner cost us our safe house. I know the cops will be onto us soon."

"Why? Call Medena or whatever the fuck his name is and tell him that if they dare alert the cops, and we still have our guy watching them, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then we'll blow Lisa's, _and_ Rory's heads off."

"I'm not going to do that, Jess, and I'm surprised how easygoing you would be about killing Rory."

"Yeah, well, we wouldn't _actually_ kill them."

Jackson caught Jess's wrist and gave it a sharp twist. "Never lie, Jess. Never. We'll just threaten the guys with something that I _will_ do to Lisa and you Rory if Rory doesn't stop trying to make a break for it."

"I think I catch your drift."

"So we'll call Medena, but the cops were pretty close before. We still need to leave."

"Ok, boss, where?"


	20. Chapter 20

Lisa sat on her bed, idly fingering the bedspread. Rory sat across from her on her own bed, gazing out the Venetian curtained window, muttering to herself.

"Anything yet?"

"Well, other than using myself as a human missile and propelling at one of the two, no," Rory sighed. Lisa frowned and went back to her fiddling.

Jackson threw open the door and smirked at the two girls.

"Having fun, ladies?" he asked, and then, without waiting for a response, "I can see that. Anyway, grab your things. We're leaving."

"What?" Lisa sat up straighter. "Why?"  
"'What, why'?" he mimicked. Lisa shot him an icy glower. Jackson deflated. "Because Jess compromised our safe house."

"Smart guy," Rory muttered. Jackson contemplated her sullen form in the corner and cocked his head thoughtfully. Finally he strode over and cupped her face in his hands. Lisa's temper flared and Rory tried to push him away.

"Is it that bad?" he crooned. "Living with us guys? We're really nice once you get to know us. Trust me. If you'd stop misbehaving like this, we wouldn't have to punish you. We could actually get along quite famously. Right, Leese?"

"Oh, yeah, totally," Lisa replied, voice thick with cynicism, rolling her eyes. Jackson shrugged.

"Just behave," he ordered. "You like Jess."

Rory snorted and finally spoke. "Excuse me? What rock have you been hiding under? I hate Jess Mariano and everything he represents."

"Which is?"  
"You."

" Now, Ms. Gilmore, I must say I'm insulted," Jackson feigned hurt, pouting. "See, I'm really quite fond of you and it cuts me like a knife that you don't feel the same way."

Rory pretended to gag by sticking a finger in her open mouth. Jackson simmered and gripped her face again but much tighter, tipping back her head.

"Jackson, stop," Lisa cried.

"Listen closely, Rory, because I'm not going to say it again. This behavior gets you nowhere. Lisa knows it just as well as you do. The more you piss me off, the less privileges it gets you and the less happy you can get. You used to like Jess. You must have. He told me the story."

Rory's eyes glistened. "What story is that?"  
Jackson sighed impatiently. "You dated. You loved each other. In fact, if I remember it correctly, _you_ were the first to make a move."

Rory's lip trembled. "N-no."

Lisa cringed, knowing the explosion to come. _Never lie, Rory. That's your first lesson._

Jackson slapped her in the face. Rory made a sound of pain and clutched her reddened cheek. "Don't ever, ever lie to me, Gilmore. It's stupid. Now you know it. You loved him, what changed?"

Rory paused, searching for answers. When she spoke her voice was flat, dry, and crisp. "He did. He left me, and I got over him. He never treated me right. He took me for granted like the cocky son of a bitch he was and just left me. I hate him. He's ruined my life, and now because of him, the one I _do_ love is probably going to die." Lisa bit her lip and looked down. Poor kid. She hadn't heard about Dean, she made a mental note to ask Rory about it later.

Jackson didn't speak. Lisa did, however, feeling the need to distract him. "Jackson, may I speak to you for a minute?"

He turned and looked at her, thinking carefully. "Fine. Rory, I'll be locking you in."

"Whatever."

He followed Lisa into the kitchen and clicked the lock behind him, then nodded to Jess. Jess retreated into his room.

"What?"

Lisa leaned on the countertop. "Please leave Rory alone. She hasn't done anything."

Jackson raised an eyebrow. "Beg pardon, Leese, but she's been wrecking my house and, not to mention, me, trying to get away. It runs a little thin. I have the right to, as you say, 'exercise some leash.'"

"You don't have to hit her!"  
"She needs to learn her place. And if you'd rather, I could tie her up and knock her out."

Lisa rubbed her eyes. "No….just let her go. This is stupid. You're acting like a human trafficker, just giving her to Jess like this."

He licked his lips thoughtfully and cocked his head. "I notice you don't say anything about you being here."

Lisa's temper raged. "Right now, _Jack_, my main priority is Rory, not myself. I'll work on that later."  
"You're not going to 'work' on anything, now or ever. Rory belongs to Jess, whether she likes it or not. Now, go pack."

Lisa felt like she needed to argue the situation more, but she was drained of words. She finally stomped back into the bedroom and pulled a suitcase from the closet, then grabbed out the clothes Jackson had bought her earlier and that she was planning to share with Rory.

"Rory?"

No answer. Lisa turned around, seeing Rory gone.

"Ror?"

"In here," Rory called from the connecting bathroom. Lisa went in to see Rory perched on the edge of the sink, staring at the window.

"What are you doing, honey?"

"I have a plan."


	21. Chapter 21

It wasn't the best of plans, but Rory was desperate. She knew deep down that this was her only chance of getting away, as she would most likely be blindfolded/rendered unconscious when the assassins took her and Lisa to their new home, and thus she wouldn't know how to escape from there.

Her plan was to use a ceramic vase she had found in the back of the bathroom cabinet to shatter the window. The window was large enough that, if the vase made a large enough hole, she could crawl through. Worst case scenario, she could always kick out the remaining glass. She didn't care if it cut her. She just needed to get away.

Lisa was wary.

"I don't know, Ror," she shrugged quietly. "I want to get out just as much as you, but it seems pretty risky. If we get caught…."

"I'll take full blame, I promise, Leese."

"No, you won't. I don't care about myself at this point. Well, my baby. The baby, I care about. But I also care as much, if not more, about you. I don't want you to get hurt."  
"I'll get hurt more by staying here. Please, Lisa."

Lisa sighed. What else could be done? "Fine. I'll help."

"You don't have to. I don't want-"

"Jackson would hurt me whether I had anything to do with it or not, so I might as well help you. Go see if the coast is clear, but discreetly."

Rory nodded and did so, and within seconds was back.

"They're both in their rooms packing," she informed Lisa.

Lisa snorted. "They're doing a great job of being kidnappers, huh?" Rory smiled nervously. Everything that happened prior to that was a blur.

Lisa raised the vase, aimed it at the window, and chucked it as hard as she could. It made a perfect-sized indentation and an even bigger crash. A piece of glass flew from the collision and pierced Lisa's arm. She screamed in pain. Then she heard Jackson and Jess swear and their footsteps.

Rory lept up onto the toilet seat, poised to hop out. There was only one problem. The bedrooms were close enough together that the men would be there in seconds. There wouldn't likely be enough time for Lisa to get out as well.

"Go," Lisa urged her. "Just go. I've made a pact with the devil. I can't, just go, please, save yourself."

"Leese, I-I can't," Rory was crying now. "I can't leave you here with these…these monsters, I can't!"

Lisa screamed at her. "Do it, Rory! I'll be fine, I'll get away! I've lived my life, you're too young! Just go, please! Do it for me…for my baby!"

Rory finally nodded sadly and tearfully jumped. Her shirt snagged slightly on the glass but she tore it loose and ran, literally, for her life.

Lisa muttered a silent prayer of thanks and relief and hopped up to follow. She was halfway out when Jackson thundered in and caught her by the waist.

She screamed as he yanked her down, as she tried to kick at him. He bellowed for Jess to go after Rory, who did so.

Then, there was a calm in the storm. Jackson shut the door behind him after he let go of Lisa. She pressed herself against the wall, clutching at a stitch in her side and feeling her arm throb, savoring the cool air rushing in from the broken window. She was terrified at the eruption that was surely to come.

"Sit," Jackson finally instructed of her quietly. Lisa frowned. He didn't seem angry.

"The toilet seat has glass-"

"No. On the edge of the tub."

Lisa swallowed and nervously nodded, perching on the porcelain rim. Jackson kneeled next to her, studying her injury.

Maybe he assumed that she hadn't done it. Maybe he pitied her, maybe he wasn't angry. Lisa's heart lifted at the possibilities as he finally spoke.

"It's not in that deep."

"Yeah, I was hopi-" Jackson caught hold of the shard and ripped. It extracted itself from her body with a wicked jolt of pain. Jackson's eyes flashed when Lisa screamed.

"You happy, Lisa?" he yelled, backhanding her in the face. She reeled back, falling into the bathtub. Her back sharply hit the bottom and she moaned. "Is this what you want, violence? I can dish it out, don't get me wrong. I'm not afraid and it seems as if this is what you want because you keep on pissing me off."

Lisa could speak only in short gasps due to the twinge. "What I wa-"

"What is it, Lisa?" he interrupted, turning on the water. The cold spray from the tap shocked her as it filled to her waist. The water instantly turned pink with the blood from her arm and multiple pain sources sent tremors through her body. "Is this a turn-on for you or something?"

Lisa felt salty tears running down her face. She wanted to protest his words but the shivers from the water and her aching prohibited syllables. The tub filled and when it was she tried to climb out. Jackson shoved her back in. She was incredibly confused to what he was playing at, but obviously it wasn't good.

Jackson raised his arm again and Lisa shielded her face, but he was just turning the water off. He crouched next to her, his face inches away. Lisa tried to move but the tub was too small.

"Well, Leese, if that's the case," Jackson sneered. "Then all I can say is that I'm willing to provide." With the beginnings of dissention forming on Lisa's face, Jackson grabbed hold of her scalp and thrust her head into the frosty water.

The seemingly sub-zero temperature numbed her entire body and Lisa felt herself turning blue, partially from oxygen deprivation. Her chest began to spasm as her breath disappeared. She clawed at Jackson's hands and kept her eyes open, watching him through the foggy colored layer of water. His eyes looked red. Blood red, like the devil, blood red with evil. He smirked as he pulled her up by her curls.

"You're insa-" she gasped but he thrust her back into the water.

This time she felt her consciousness begin to drift and had to close her eyes. Her mind screamed and she dreaded her future as she knew this would not be the worst of it.

When he seemed to be done, he wrenched her out by her neck this time. She sputtered and spit out blood, some fresh. He pulled her from the tub, soaking wet.

"Jackson, please," Lisa pleaded as she wobbled dizzily on her own feet. She tried to hobble to the door but Jackson caught her wrist and slammed her against the wall.

"I love it when you beg," he snarled. "And trust me, sweetie, there's more to come." _As I suspected._

"Please, Jackson, the baby," Lisa rambled on, sobbing. "Please, I-"

"The baby?" Jackson repeated incredulously, spinning her around and pushing her. She fell to the ground and he pulled her up by her arm, intentionally pressing her cut. She winced and bit her lip to keep from screaming, as Jackson seemed to thrive on it. "You should have thought of the baby, Leese, before you decided to anger me."

He was right. He was rightrightright…and she knew it.

He dragged her all the way to her room, where she knew the inevitable waited. She clung to the door hinges but nothing hindered his progression. Soon they had arrived.

Jackson shoved her to the bed and she fell. Her neck banged against the headboard as Jackson produced from his pocket a pair of handcuffs.

_I don't want to know why…_

He clipped both of her wrists to one side of the bed and she shut her eyes, letting the pain wash over her.

_Just let me fall asleep, I want to go to sleep…help me forget this…_

Nothing happened. She was lying twisted on her side and couldn't see him if she wanted to.

"But for now, Lisa, I'm tired," he whispered in her ear. She cringed and he climbed off the bed, moving to the door and clicking off the light.

"And I'm not that kind of man." Then he shut the door and left her in total darkness. She was bleeding, aching, and soaking, but she was relieved.


	22. Chapter 22

Rory felt like she was in a dream as she saw the headlights behind her. She jumped off the road and darted into the trees.

_Don't let Jess catch me. Please, God, no._

He cut the engine and followed in hot pursuit. Rory's legs crunched over the pine cones and twigs as she ran along clumsily in the darkness. She couldn't get herself caught and let Lisa's help be in vain.

She felt a frigid rain begin to fall and Jess closed up some space between them. She cursed her mother for never forcing her to play sports as her legs ached and her lungs burned.

Then it happened, the inevitable. She wouldn't remember what the initial trigger was, but she was tripped, most likely by a log. She flew and fell, her ankle snapping.

She moaned and tried to scoot to safety in hiding, but Jess soon found her hunched against a tree.

"What's happening, Rory?" he crouched to her height and she whimpered and tried to get away. "Feel like taking a midevening jog?"

She kept her pride. "Guess so. If you don't mind, I'd like to resume…."

He eyed her foot. "Yeah, if you can put weight on that ankle."

Rory sucked in her gut and tried to stand, using the tree as her anchor, but slid back to the ground, pain sucking at her leg.

"Thought so." He lifted her and she screamed as her leg throbbed. Jess smirked. Rory tossed several swearwords at him as he dropped her back near the stalling car. She stuck her hands out so her ankle wouldn't hit hard ground first.

"Now, Rory, I could do this the Jackson way," he shrugged, picking her back up by her shirt and pressing her against the tree.

"Which is?" she asked, grimacing.

"Screaming at you and beating you senseless. Which is undoubtedly happening to Lisa back at the cabin." Rory shut her eyes and felt guilt wash over her.

"Or I could handle my way."

Rory's heart lifted. That had to be better. "And that is?"

He grinned, slightly in a deranged sense, and then studied her, drinking her in. She cringed. "We pick up where we left off back at that party."

Rory's mind hit a blank. Party…party…what party?

Suddenly her mind was filled with mental images. Lane's band playing. Keg. Jess. Bedroom. Jess and her in bedroom on bed….her refusing to…..

"No!" she cried, struggling against him. "No…"

It didn't work. He was so much bigger than her and she was so temporarily handicapped it was like facing an ant against a dog. She couldn't win.

Jess's lips captured hers and a knife blade flashed at her throat, silencing all her movement. And then she shut her eyes and tried to tune it all out, every last second.

Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx

Lorelai's eyelids fluttered open. She breathed in deep, ragged breaths and surveyed her surroundings. What the….oh. She was, yet again, in a hospital.

She'd hated hospitals with a passion for as far back as she could remember. Lets see, she had Rory in a hospital, where her parents had found her and nearly killed her for coming, and then her father had had a heart attack a few years ago and she'd had to come. Oh, yeah, and the time Rory got in a car accident (ironically, the car was driven by none other than Jess himself) and broke her wrist. Fun times.

Lorelai squinted down at her body. She knew her leg was still hurt from before, and she had vague recollections of a cabin, Jackson Rippner…and a gun. She looked down. Oh yeah, other leg was completely shot to hell and bandaged. Fantastic.

She didn't remember what had happened with Lisa. Had they busted her out? She pressed her nurse call button. Soon, a stout African American lady with a clipboard and a full bosom bustled in.

"Where's Lisa?" Lorelai demanded. The woman frowned.

"I'm not sure who you mean, Ms…" she peered at her notes. "Ms Gilmore. Your friends are waiting just outside, if you'd like for me to send them in." Lorelai nodded impatiently.

Max, Cynthia, Joe, and Jack all bustled in nervously. Jack fussed around her pillow, touching her hand.

"Lore, are you ok? Oh, no. Oh no. This can't be good. You're hurt so badly!"

"Jackson," Lorelai replied warningly. Cynthia inhaled sharply. "I mean, Jack, I'm fine. Where's Lisa?"

They all looked at their feet. "WHERE'S LISA?"

Max spoke up dryly. "We couldn't….after you….Jackson said he'd kill all of us before handing Leese over. We just couldn't do it. And he'll kill her if we come again. She made a bargain of some sorts with him."

Lorelai's throat constricted. "So we leave it at that? We just leave her with him? We can't just quit, guys!"

Joe stepped forward, obviously disgruntled and emotion-wraught. "I know that as well as you, Lorelai, and need I remind you, she's my only daughter? I'd rather die than leave her there against her will. But…"

"But…." Lorelai pressed.

"But she chose to," Cynthia answered flatly. "She made a bargain with him. He won't hurt her and her baby, and she stays with him….forever." With that the frail woman burst into tears.

Lorelai followed her cue as tears fell and asked, "Where is Luke? And Rory?"

"We called Luke, but couldn't get hold of him. Same for Rory. We just called Dean's hospital, and his mother said she stepped outside to answer her phone. We couldn't reach her by telephone."

As if by magic, Max's phone suddenly rang. "Hello?" he held up a finger to the others in the room and stepped into a corner.

"Hi, this is Dean's mother."

"Hello, ma'am. Have you seen Rory yet?"

"No, but…I'm afraid…." The older woman burst into tears.

"Ma'am, whatever it is, please, please tell me."

"I went outside to look for her, and all I found was…I found a dampened cloth with some sort of chemical on it, and…and this is the worst…her phone…."

"Yes?"

"It was turned off, and when we turned it on, there was a text message blinking in the background. It was from…."

"Who?"

"Jess Mariano. It said, 'I'll be seeing you soon, sweetie'."

"Oh, no."

"I'm sorry."

"Thanks for telling me," Max thanked her, and hung up, turning to the group.

"They have Rory."


	23. Chapter 23

Luke felt a numbing coldness on the back of his neck and lower scalp. And a wetness. He moaned, aching all over. Where was he? He definitely wasn't in his bed, his pillow didn't feel like a weighty cinderblock under his head. He sat up, feeling a rush of dizziness overcome him, and opened his heavy eyes.

He was behind the counter of the diner. _Was I drinking, or some-_ Then it hit him. Jess. Hit. Jess hit him with something…and he was knocked out. Great. That meant Jess got out.

He gripped the edge of the counter to pull himself up and gingerly touched the back of his neck. It was soaked with blood, most of it old and drying but a little bit of it fresh. He swore and ran to the bathroom.

He used a handmirror to look into the vanity mirror behind him and examined his cut. Thankfully, it appeared small and the bloodloss looked worse than it was. It was on his lower neck and he applied some rubbing alcohol and a bandage and grabbed his phone.

Luke punched in Lorelai's number, and when she didn't answer, Max's. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?" his voice was urgent.

"Hey, Max, did you bust Lisa out yet?"

There was a long, tense pause. "Luke, right?"

"Yes…"

"We couldn't…couldn't get her. It's a long story, but….Jackson shot Lorelai. She's okay now but has to stay in overnight because of bloodloss and all. And…."

There was more bad news? "What, Max?"

"I don't…."

"Damn it, Max, tell me! What could be worse than that my friend is being held hostage by a sadist and my fiancée almost died? What is there to know?"

"Well, Luke, lets see: your _only_ responsibility obviously escaped and, oh, guess what? Rory's missing."

Luke swallowed hard, an icy lump forming in his throat. _His_ charge. Rory was kidnapped and it was his fault. "Listen, I-Jess-he-"

"Listen, Luke, we don't have time for excuses now. Just get over here. We're at Dover Memorial and Lorelai needs you."

"Are you going back out for Lisa after that?"

"No, I already told you we're not getting her back," Max's voice sounded hollow and although Luke was angry with him for being so uncouth he felt guilty. Max had, in a manner of speaking, just lost his fiancée, not that Luke knew the whole story behind it all. "But we are going to try and figure out what to do about the Rory situation."

"Ok. See you in a few." Hours, that is. Luke grabbed a roadmap, his phone, and some cash and was off.

Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx Xx

Rory was numb with cold and an indescribable feeling of grief as Jess finished. Her tears were frosty on her cheeks, and her pleas had been deaf to his ears the whole time.

She was physically unharmed, for the most part, despite a thin, bleeding cut on her neck from when Jess had accidentally jerked the knife, and obviously of what she'd just been put through. But her mind was whirring and her body aching.

Jess let her redress in silence and then moved to lift her. She cringed and moved away from him and he smirked. "You can't walk, Rory."

She didn't answer. She wished she could fight back with something witty and sarcastic but words were dead to her at the moment. She was beyond feeling. _I should have fought back. I didn't do anything. I'm so weak._

She let him lift her and drop her in the car and they drove back to the cabin in silence. Rory glanced at herself in the rearview mirror for a brief second, but her image caused fresh tears to form and she quickly looked away. Her hair was messy and had some dried blood on it from cuts on her scalp that had formed when she had fallen. There were leaves and pieces of bark all over her, not to mention pitch and dirt. Blood dotted various parts of her body, and her eyes were watery and bloodshot. She doubted Lisa would recognize her.

_Lisa._ The one bright spot. Her only friend. She could help her, if she was still alive.

Jess carried her back inside where Jackson was on his laptop in the living room and Lisa was not in sight. Rory sucked in her breath and winced as Jess set her down on the couch. _I hate you. _

Jackson eyed Rory whimsically with one eyebrow raised, and then his expression darkened.

"Where were you guys?" he asked thinly. Rory pressed her head against the couch fabric.

Jess smirked. Rory felt ill. "In the woods."

Maybe it was her imagination, but Rory thought Jackson really looked mad. "Doing what?"

Jess arrogantly sauntered over to Jackson and whispered in his ear. Rory cringed. Jackson nodded and his lips pressed together in one thin line. Jess backed away and smugly eyed Rory. Jackson also looked at her. Rory felt like she was being examined.

"I see. Rory, did you have fun, out in the woods?"

Rory swallowed hard a lump in her throat and frowned at Jackson, opening her mouth to speak. Nothing came. _Talk. TALK. Wait, why does he want to know? Is he…does he take interest in knowing exactly what Jess does? Does it matter? Just say it._ "I-what-"

"Answer the question."

"N-no."

"Okay, then. That was all I needed to know." With that, Jackson swiveled around, raised his fist, and, without warning, punched Jess directly in the face. Rory gasped as Jackson wiped his bloodied hand (who's blood?) on a paper towel and turned to Rory.

"Rory, sweetheart, if you would be so kind as to join Lisa in your bedroom. Jess and I have some talking to do."

"I-I can't walk, my ankle-"

"Oh." Jackson walked over and lifted her into his arms. She did not hold onto him but teetered uncomfortably as he brought her into Lisa's room and dropped her on her bed. She debated mentally over whether to say 'thanks' or not, but decided against it. He turned on the lights and the halogen filled the room.

"Ado," Jackson nodded to her as he left the room, shutting the door. She heard the lock click behind him.

Rory turned on the bed and looked at Lisa, who was just waking up, blinking from the bright light invading her eyes. Lisa looked as if she wanted to sit up, but couldn't because of the handcuffs attaching her to the bedpost. So she just lay on one side, arms underneath her, incredibly bruised and a little bloody. She looked a mess and was wet all over.

"Rory?" Lisa croaked, squinting and trying to get her bearings. Her eyes widened as her brain grasped the state the college girl was in. "Oh Jesus, Rory, what happened to you?"  
Rory didn't say anything.

"So they caught you," Lisa muttered sadly, shaking her head. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry. Looks like you put up a hell of a fight, though."

Rory dazedly shook her head.

Lisa frowned. "Are you going to talk?"  
Rory bit her lip. She needed to talk. Talking would help. As she opened her mouth to speak, tears flooded into her eyes. "I-I-Jess-"

She didn't finish, and Lisa stared at her with confusion for a minute, but something snapped in Lisa's eyes and it was obvious that she understood without words what had happened.

"Oh my God," Lisa muttered, her eyes glistening as well. "Oh, Rory. I'm so sorry."

Rory nodded, wiping a dirty hand across her wet face.

"Come here, the least I can do is hug you."

Rory shook her head. "I broke my ankle."

"He broke your ankle, too?"

"No. I broke it. Running."

"Bastard could've set it at least," Lisa growled. "What's going on out there?" Rory knew that they both could hear the muted thumps and shouts coming from the living room. Most of the yells were Jackson's, however.

"I don't know. Jackson…well, Jess told him what he'd done and Jackson asked me…asked me if I…" Rory felt like throwing up and pressed a hand over her mouth for a moment to quell the bile. Lisa did not press her; she seemed to get the picture. When the coast seemed clear, Rory spoke again. "If I had had fun. Obviously I said no, and then he said, 'I see', and turned around and hit Jess. Then, as Jess was lying on the ground, he told me to come in here with you."

"But you-"

"He had to carry me."

"Ugh, I'm sorry," Lisa groaned. "So obviously Jackson is angry that Jess did that to you. Wonder why. After all, he almost-" she froze. "Oh, my. He's not that kind of man."

"Excuse me?"

Lisa recounted her painful story of the near drowning/miscellaneous abuse that Jackson had inflicted upon her for helping Rory. Rory felt guilt bubbling in her throat. "But then, when he had me completely at his mercy, he left me here. Said 'he was tired, and not that kind of man.' I wasn't entirely sure what he had meant, but now I get it. He doesn't believe in that kind of force, you know? Must think its below him or something…" Lisa snorted. "Not that much is."

"Yeah," Rory nodded slowly. Then she darkened. "Not Jess, apparently."

Lisa stared intently yet grimly into the other girl's eyes. "Rory, I know that this won't help much, but please, listen to me. I've been in your shoes. It's happened to me, you know that. But don't, please, don't give up the will to live. I had for a while. I stopped my life because of what happened in that parking lot. Don't do that. I know how hard it is."

Rory looked away. "I'll try. Lisa, he hurt me. I didn't even try-"

"You did try."

"You weren't there."

"I know that, but I also know how your mind is going to be working around this time. It wasn't your fault, for Christ's sake, you couldn't even move with your ankle all screwed up. And he probably had some sort of a weapon or something too, am I right?"

Rory hated to admit it. "You are."

"See? Don't blame yourself. Please. You're going to get away from here one day. I promise you that."

Rory was almost sure it was an empty promise. But Lisa had never once gone back on her word, so she trusted that. And she trusted that she would get better over time.


	24. Chapter 24

1Author's Note-So, my computer has been down and I'm using my mother's, but I just wanted to thank everybody who's reviewed so far. You guys are awesome. Seriously. I just caught a really crappy flu and had to stay home from school today, but the plus side is I can run up here and type a chapter, then run back downstairs and retch. Brilliant. Here they go.

Jackson nailed Jess with a swift kick in the shoulder. Jess crumpled again, muttering choice words.

"You're a fucking prick, know that?" Jackson hissed. "How dare you do that to Rory! Do you realize how degrading that is to her, to you, your pride?"

Jess grunted, "Yeah, but I broke her, didn't I?"

Jackson got him in the stomach as he tried to stand again. "Not in the way you want. Now she'll never willingly be yours."

"And Lisa will?" Jess scoffed.

Jackson tensed, his shoulders stiffening terribly. When he spoke again, his voice was morbidly low. "She has before. At least I haven't ruined my chances."

"Yeah, drown her and she's fucking swooning. Thanks for the tip."

Jackson backhanded Jess and pulled him to his feet by his neck. Jess tittered. "Let me get one thing straight, Jessica. I am your superior. If you wish to keep your organs inside of your body, you do as I say, not your hormones. Is that clear?"

Jess frantically clawed at Jackson's hands. He released him. "Yes," Jess gasped. Jackson smirked.

"Peachy. Now go finish packing. I've got to go clean up the mess you've made."

Jess sullenly skulked to his room, slamming the door behind him. Jackson chortled, once again reminded of Jess's teenage immaturity.

He strode quietly to Rory and Lisa's room and rapped on the door. Pushing it open, he found Lisa twisted awkwardly on her arms, talking to Rory. Both girls' faces were slightly tearstained. When they saw him they froze.

"Room service," Jackson grinned and held up a first aid kit.

Lisa's face grew hard and cold when he looked at her, and her eyes refused to meet his. That amused him.

Rory shrank back as he approached and knelt on the floor next to her bed.

"Get. Away. From. Me," she ordered, and he detected a parcel of fear embedded in her voice.

"Enjoy walking?" he asked lightly. Rory frowned and slightly nodded. "Then I need to set your ankle." She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

"Why not?"

Lisa sighed, indicating the size that she'd concluded on for Jackson's brain. He looked at Rory. Her eyes were dewy. It dawned on him and he looked again, but softened his expression.

"Rory, I know I'm not exactly Joe Good citizen," he spoke. "But what Jess did was flat out wrong. He neglected to heed everything dear to you and stripped away what was so important. I hate him for that. He lowered himself to indescribable depths. Men who do things like that to women are pigs. And I know you think I'm no better, but I am. I won't do that to you, Rory." A thought hit him and he slowly turned to Lisa. "Or you," he added softly. "Never." She looked away.

Rory nodded and seemed to feel a bit better as she let him study her leg. He sighed.

"This is going to hurt," he admitted. "And although I know how you value your pride, don't try to be tough and hold in a scream. You'll end up biting down on your tongue and you'll inevitably puncture it, which will add embarrassment to your already shitty injury. Ready?" She didn't look it, but she closed her eyes, balled her fists, and nodded.

Jackson bent it back into position and she screamed, but not as loud as he'd expected. He set it into a makeshift cast and bandaged it, then pointed her towards the bathroom to clean up. He uncuffed Lisa and soundlessly moved towards the door. Lisa's voice stopped him as she sat up and massaged her wrists.

"Jackson?"

He turned. "Mm?"

She looked into his eyes. "I just wanted to-um-well, I-I wanted...thank you."

He smiled. "Anytime."


	25. Chapter 25

1Lisa never had been able to predict Jackson well. One minute he was hot, the next cold. First nice, then cruel. There were times that she could read him, detect a flash of humanity behind the icy blue. But often, without warning, it would vanish.

She sat in the back of a beatup Chevy, her wrists generously untied in front of her. Rory slouched next to her, head on the window, not speaking.

"Rory, you okay?" Lisa asked softly. The girl shrugged.

"I'm just tired. Let me sleep, Leese." Lisa sighed and thought. Jess was sitting up front and Jackson drove. She had no idea where they were going, and at the point, she didn't care. Either way, things weren't getting better. She dedicated herself to Rory, deciding that if Rory was okay, she was okay.

Escape aching niggled at the back of her mind, and she tried to push them away. It was out of the question right now, what with Rory in a cast and Lisa in pain all over. It dizzied her to walk, so naturally running was a no-go. For now, she would concentrate her efforts on rest and rejuvenation.

Jess fell asleep after the first hour, as did Rory. Lisa was relieved. Sleep would provide Rory with a calm from her no doubt racing mind.

Lisa pressed her hand on the cool window and tried to calculate time. She'd been kidnapped in July, the fourth of July. Fireworks were vivid in her mind, and the ice cream. Pressing a hand on her slightly protruding stomach, she figured she was about five months along. When Jackson had snatched her, she'd been four months along. Therefore, it was beginning to mid August. She sighed and traced a raindrop sliding down. It settled into a groove as Jackson tapped a rhythm on the steering wheel with his palms.

A thought was gnawing at Lisa's brain. She tried to ignore it, but uncontrollably blurted, "Why did you do that?"

Jackson jumped, a little startled. "Do-uh-what?"

"Why were you so nice to Rory?"

He laughed. "You know, Leese, I'm not Satan's nephew."

She sighed. "Come on. You had absolutely no reason to be nice to her, you know it, and don't feed me some bull about how you had to so she would calm down and you could fix her leg."

He glanced at her. "Leese, in my job...no. That's...hm." Lisa was vaguely amused that for once, he was struggling for words. "The me that you see isn't all there is. You just happen to invoke my pissy side, the side I have issues controlling."

"I can tell."

"Watch it. As I was saying, I can be nice. This work hardens you, and you grow kind of...well, solemn. Cold. But I can be nice."

"You don't say. I just found it funny how you could nearly drown me and then basically be a father figure to Rory the next hour."

"Let's just say my anger shifted. From you to Jess. I can't stand that. You should know that I don't tolerate taking advantage of women."

"Yeah, the first sign was when you cuffed me to a bed," she rolled her eyes cynically.

"To make you stay," he moaned. "The bed happened to be a more comfortable alternative for you. Could've given you the sinking, and it was freezing in there."

She didn't answer. They passed a few moments in silence until Jackson spoke again.

"Want to sit up here?"

"No."

"Why?"

"For one, if I do, Jess has to move back here and I'm not going to do that to Rory."

"I wouldn't let anything happen."

"You're not a girl, Jack. You've no idea how our minds work. I know you won't let anything happen. Rory knows that. But her radar doesn't."

"Second reason?"

"Because I don't want to."

He smirked smugly. "I love how you place that second."

Lis scowled and played with the child lock on the door. Oh, if only...

"Child-lock, Leese."

"Yeah, the big white sign directly above it that says CHILD LOCK didn't even turn the lightbulb on," she scathed. Jackson grinned and began sifting through an ancient cd case on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

He settled on a cd and popped it into the player on the floor. It took a moment for the artist to register in Lisa's brain, and then it clicked. Franz Ferdinand. Lorelai loved them and had even bought a shirt that read, "Franz Fucking Ferdinand." At the shocked Stars Hollow faces, Lorelai would shrug and say, "It's better than my porn star shirt." Lisa missed her.

The song was Darts of Pleasure. Lisa listened to the lyrics and shut her eyes, trying to rest.

_You are the latest contender  
You are the one to remember  
You are the villain who sends a  
Line of dark fantastic passion  
I know that you will surrender  
I know that you will surrender  
I want this fantastic passion  
We'll have fantastic passion_

You can feel my lips undress your eyes   
Undress your eyes, undress your eyes  
Words of love and words of leisure  
Words of poisoned darts of pleasure  
Died... and so you died

You are the latest adventure  
You're an emotion avenger  
You are the devil that sends a 

_Line of dark fantastic passion _

_I know that you will surrender  
I know that you will surrender  
I want this fantastic passion  
We'll have fantastic passion_

You can feel my lips undress your eyes   
Undress your eyes, undress your eyes  
Skin can feel my lips they tingle - tense anticipation  
This one is an easy one, feel the word and melt upon it  
Words of love and words of leisure   
Words of poisoned darts of pleasure Died and so you died 

Lisa caught the lyrics and her temper flared up, to a point that it reddened her face. Without thinking, she grabbed a box of tissues from the floor and hurled it at Jackson's head. He didn't anticipate the gesture and swerved a little as the thin yet bulky and cornered tissue box hit the bottom of his head.

"What the fuck was that for?" he yelled. Lisa cringed as Rory stirred but did not awaken.

"You know what," Lisa argued. "The song. You did that on purpose."

"The song?" Jackson frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't even make me repeat it. Think. I thought you were smart." There was a pause as he mulled it over. Then he laughed.

"Jesus, Leese, do you really have to take things so literally? It's a song. I wasn't trying to seduce you. God. And you say _I_ have a big ego."

Lisa's red face turned even redder with embarrassment. "Um...oh." She wished she could come up with something wittier than that.

He kept chuckling until they stopped for gas at a 7-11 fifteen minutes later.

"Hungry or anything?"

Lisa shook her head. "But I have to use the restroom."

He eyed her suspiciously.

This was a time in which she actually was sincere. The pressure of the child growing inside of her was bearing down on her bladder. "I do. I wouldn't be able to run away if I wanted to."

He began to nod, and then paused. "You don't want to?"

She blushed crimson yet again. "Rory. I wouldn't leave Rory."

She thought she detected disappointment in his sharp features, but it quickly vanished as he gave her a once-over.

She'd changed her clothes and washed up back at the cabin. Jackson had mended her arm as best as he could and applied a salve that took away about half of the pain. She knew that, except for a few bruises, most of which were covered with clothing and makeup, she didn't look like a kidnappee.

Jackson shoved Jess awake and opened Lisa's door. She hopped out and they walked inside. He idly led her to the ladies' room.

"The gas?" she prodded.

"Pay before you pump. Go use the restroom first."

He opened the door and she knew he had planned on going in first and checking it out, seeing if there were windows or anything that could be used as a weapon.

Lisa cautiously stepped ahead and Jackson craned his neck to peer over her. She heard him swear quietly and realized why. It was a multi-use bathroom, with eight stalls lining both sides, some of which were occupied. There was no way he could secure it without arousing suspicion. He caught her arm.

"Go, but I swear to God, Leese, if you so much as-"

"Jackson," she muttered tersely. "I get it. Rory."

He nodded and let her go. She locked herself inside of a stall and relieved herself, then took a few calming breaths. Her mind was yet again reeling with the events of the past few days. Rory's tears, the bathtub, the window, the shard of gas embedded in the thin skin just below her elbow. The old cut suddenly whizzed to life and stung horribly. The pain was dizzying as Lisa stood and tried to breathe in deeply. Jackson's face flashed before her mind's eye. She swayed, her elbow banging against the toilet paper dispenser.

Lisa eased herself out of the stall and tried to suck in air. She succeeded in doing so but it was hot, dusty, and her chest heaved and ached.

_Help me,_ her brain screamed. She almost wished a woman would come out of a stall and help her out of this place. _Help me. _Who? Jackson? Jess? Rory? An angel? God?

Lisa stumbled to the window and pulled it open. Then, and only then were her lungs filled with fresh, cool, sweet air. She breathed deeply and slowly as her heartrate returned to normal.

What had that been? Lisa was certainly no doctor, but her only guess was that it had been a panic attack. Induced by what? Jackson. Jackson. This was his fault.

She felt a small kick in her stomach and smiled. The little one was there. She hadn't forgotten, just kind of had had more pressing matters weighed upon her in the past few days. Lisa had been depressed, felt sorry for herself in the last day or so. She hadn't acted like herself, and had succumbed. She hated herself. She would never, ever, give in to Jackson. She would keep trying to escape. Her maternal instinct had flared to life again, and now the only thing on her brain was a way out. She knew it was risky for her baby, but felt as if she had no other choice. She could stay with Jack and when four more months had passed, what? He'd take her to a doctor? Of course not. He was wanted in at least two states. Deliver the baby himself? Lisa shuddered at the thought. No. She had to get away.

The window seemed like a beacon of hope. Lisa studied it. It went out behind the convenience store and was more than large enough for her to fit through. It was perfect. Jackson would never know, and when he did find out, she'd be long gone. The dizzying pain had ebbed away somewhat, and though it would be difficult to run, the tingling caged bird feeling in her legs told her that it would push her onward.

_But Rory,_ Lisa thought. Jess would no doubt be awake, unless he felt like earning another beating from Jackson. There was no conceivable way that Lisa could grab her and get away. She'd just have to come back for her, that was it. Yeah. She'd grab Luke, Max, Jack, whoever, and come back for Rory. She wouldn't let Jackson win this time.

With that, she pulled herself up on the sill and swung her legs out.


	26. Chapter 26

1Christopher was generally a calm, level-headed man. In his business, one had to be. There were three things that made him panic, however: anything bad happening to his baby Georgia, his daughter Rory, and her mother, Lorelai.

The last subject was tense. He'd impregnated her when she was sixteen and had cared for her since, sometimes more than in a friendly way. He loved her still, and even though it had been hard to admit it to himself (hell, he'd gotten married and had a child-a marriage that had seemed perfect until his fashionable wife flitted off to Paris) it was true.

So, when he got the call that Lorelai was badly injured and Rory kidnapped, he nearly had an aneurysm. He'd of course heard the harrowing account of their first encounter with Jackson Rippner and had urged Rory to take all sorts of precautions involving Jess. So when he discovered that the hellish pair had broken out of jail, he was beyond angry. And now this, well, he was livid/worried beyond belief.

Lorelai had timidly asked him to come to Stars Hollow, where she and a slew of others planned to powwow and figure out what to do. It was midafternoon on August 5th, a day after Lorelai's injury, as he pulled up in front of Luke's Diner.

He hung up his phone. Chris had made the quick decision to call Richard and Emily, Lorelai's parents, and tell them what had happened. They were angry that Lorelai hadn't called and also on their way over.

Chris pulled his denim jacket tighter over his broad shoulders, wondering why it was so damn cold in early August. He hopped up the steps, ignoring the closed sign, and entered the establishment.

What a group of characters had gathered! There was the very pregnant Sookie and her very upset husband Jack, the very crippled Lorelai, an extremely pissed Luke with a bandage on his neck, an older man and younger woman that Chris didn't recognize, Rory's best friend Lane Kim and her boyfriend Zach, Rory's three roommates, the Dragonfly's concierge Michel Girard, and then, most puzzling, Lorelai's ex-fiancee Max Medena. He nearly laughed.

"Hey," he greeted and everyone quieted, nodding grimly at him. Luke ignored him, for which Chris couldn't blame him, as Chris had yelled at him the last time they'd met.

Luke took advantage of the silence and stood in the center of the room. Chris took a safe seat next to Sookie.

"Okay," Luke said. "We all know why we're here. We need to save Rory, and, if possible, Lisa."

"Not 'if possible'," Max snapped. "She's not the last goal. She's my first one and we will save her."

Chris frowned. "Who's Lisa?"

One of the people he didn't know scowled. "My daughter. Who are you?"

Chris cringed as Lorelai answered for him in a soft, sad voice. "Rory's dad, Joe. Its okay."

"What the rough plan is is to split up into two large search parties, with an additional group here. That'll mostly consist of the physically unable to be in the search party. We'll also leave a few of the ablebodied behind, just in case, for some weird and extremely stupid reason, Jess and Rippner come back here."

Everybody nodded, and Luke continued. "So, whoever wants to go o ut, go on the left side of the room, whoever stays, go to the right."

They dispersed and within seconds were divided. Two people were on the right side, Lorelai and Sookie, who looked reluctant to be there anyway. Luke sighed. "We need more than that, guys."

Emily and Richard burst into the room in their usual Hey-I'm-rich-and-better-than-you manner.

"Lorelai!" Emily screeched, red curls bouncing. "How dare you not inform me of this! My own granddaughter! I ought-"

"Mom," Lorelai sighed quietly. "Please. We're trying to figure this out." Shockingly, Emily conceded, and Luke asked if they wanted to be involved. Emily opted for Lorelai's side, probably for the advantage of being able to further harangue her, and Richard chose the much larger left side.

"Alright," Luke rubbed his hands together. "This is hard. You all definitely want to go?" He counted. There were twelve on the search party side, Luke included. Luke said he wanted at least five more to stay with his fiancee.

"Any volunteers?"

Chris shrugged and stepped forward. "I can, I guess, I mean I'd-"

"No," Luke snapped, with a look that could freeze hell. "You're not staying with Lorelai." Chris shot him a dirty look and stepped back into the throng.

Jack timidly stepped forward. "I'm going to tell you the truth, Luke. I've seen enough of that repulsive man to last me a lifetime."

Luke nodded. "I know, Jacks-Jack, and I'm sorry, but we could really use you."

Jack sighed and stepped back into the mass.

Luke muttered to himself. "I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to cut a few of you loose." He reminded Chris of a baseball coach. Chris hated baseball.

They ended up with Rory's roommate Tana, as well as Paris and Cynthia remaining with Lorelai, Sookie, and Emily. The two search parties were led by Max and Luke. Max's party consisted of Lane, Zach, Joe, and Janice. Luke's group held Chris, Michel, and Richard. Chris groaned inwardly. Great. Three other people, two of whom happened to hate him.

They split into two cars, after adamantly assuring the left behind that they would call with anything and leave their phones on. Chris's group took Lorelai's Jeep, and the others took Janice's Camarro. They planned to travel together to the cabin in New Jersey, and split up from there, one group going North and the other South.

They'd find Lisa and Rory, or they'd die. But, Chris thought, with the team they had, how could they lose?


	27. Chapter 27

1Rory's eyes begrudgingly opened as she heard a car door slam. She watched as Lisa followed Jackson into a dingy 7-11 set between three small hills and a large forest. She sat up and wearily looked up front to Jess.

_Jess_. Her muscles stiffened to snapping point at the memory. Her eyes blurred. He was awake, but not yet aware that she was as well.

Her lips fought to avoid speaking the question at her vocal chords, but it popped out anyway. "Why?"

Jess jumped. "Good morning, glory."

"Why?" she repeated, grinding her teeth.

"Why what?"

"Why...why did you change? What happened to you?" Rory rubbed her eyes.

"I'm not sure what you mean. I'm right here."

Rory sighed. "No. You changed as soon as you met Jackson. You used to be a little rough around the edges, sure, but never...so...mean...so...cold and, well, evil."

"Its my job."

"Don't feed me that line, Jess Mariano. Why did you even pick the job? Its horrible. I knew you were low, but I thought that you had morals at least."

"I did it for you."

Rory snorted. "Yeah. What the hell are you talking about?"

Jess sighed and ruffled his hair. "I chose the job because...well, because Jackson promised me you."

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Jackson leaned against the bathroom door and checked his watch. Jesus, how long had she been in there? What could she possibly be doing?

He hoped she wasn't sick or anything. She was pregnant, after all. But maybe she'd escaped...no. She was too weak right now, too vulnerable and besides; Rory. Unless she'd suddenly lost her mind or something, he felt secure.

An elderly woman came out and he moved. She smiled dazedly up at him, slight worry lining her ancient face. "Is your wife in there?"

Jackson considered. "Uh...yeah. Why? Is she sick?"

The old lady shrugged. "Sounded it. She was walking all funny and banging around for a while, but when I came out she was climbing out the window."

_Damn her._ "Oh. I see. Thank you, ma'am."

She flashed him a smile, and he fought to wait until she had rounded the corner before he pushed angrily inside and ran to the window.

Sure enough, Lisa, in her black sweatshirt and jeans, was running down the rocky slope below the window. He regarded her lividly as she looked back once, and, seeing him there, flipped him off. That did it. He flipped himself up onto the sill and propelled out of the window.

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Lane was scared beyond belief, but not for herself. For Rory. The small Korean girl curled up against her warm blonde boyfriend Zach in the rickety old Camarro, leaking tears into his black and white jacket.

"Sh, Lane," he whispered into her hair. "Its ok."

The few short words meant more to her than anything. Zach was not the most intelligent person in the world. He was a talented musician, and sweet as anything, but not so great at vocalizing his feelings. He'd grown better at it during his year or so dating her, but words of consolation still weren't his strong point. He hadn't said much when Lane had told him of her huge fight with her strict Korean mother, Mrs. Kim.

Lane tenderly touched the cell phone bulging in the pockets of her jeans. Her fingers ached to dial her mother up, tell her about Rory, and be consoled. But she couldn't. She couldn't be the one to break the angry silence between her and her mom.

Mrs. Kim would only pray. Lane had very little faith in God. Her mother had forced religion on her too young, too much. Lane believed that a God who would send her to hell for loving the Ramones wasn't any sort of God to be worshiped at all.

Lane felt awkward in the car. She didn't know Joe at all, and Janice very little. She'd stayed at Rory's dorm for a month or so last year, when Lane had had the initial blowup with her mom. She had the feeling that the blonde athletic girl driving wasn't at all fond of the small Korean drummer slouching in the back.

Lane took her comfort to Jack. He was crammed in the back with Lane and Zach, with Janice, Max, and Joe squeezed in up front. She knew Jack well, having lived with him in Stars Hollow her entire life. He was the produce man, her buddy. "What exactly happened with Jackson? How is he here, how...how do we know him?"

Jack pursed his lips and finally spoke. "You know Lisa?"

"I met her once, yes."

"She knew him before she moved up here. He threatened her on a plane to make a phone call. His goal was to have her change a hotel reservation so he could kill Charles Keefe."

All blood drained from Lane's face. "That was her? I never knew that."

"She hates talking about it. It was very tramautizing. Anyway, she moved back up here when he broke out of jail the first time, in worry that he would come after her for revenge. Funny thing was, he was recruiting up here."

"Jess."

"Exactly. So Luke met the guy first, as he was looking for a job. Pissy little guy. Luke gave him the job. Lisa met Lorelai first, at dinner one night and they were instantly friends. The two arranged to spend time together, which one night broke Luke and Lorelai's date. Luke asked Jackson if he wanted to go on a blind date, so that Lorelai and Lisa could still spend time together. Jackson said yes."

"Oh, God," Lane shook her head. This sure was complicated.

"Yeah. Lisa freaked out on the date and ran out, but Jackson followed and managed to threaten/blackmail her into pretending to be his girlfriend so he wouldn't get arrested. They went back in and Jackson fed them all some story about how they'd broken up once but now where back together."

Lane hated to admit it. "He's pretty smart."

"Don't I know it. After a while, Lisa couldn't take it anymore and blurted Jackson's secret. He got angry and threatened them all with a gun and left. They thought it was over. Wrong. Lisa met Max, and, to her surprise, Jackson was still watching her. He kidnapped her and Jess got Rory and they headed to Nice in France on a plane. Long story short, Leese and Rory thwarted them and got away but Jackson and Jess came back to Lore's house in Stars Hollow."

Zach shifted. "What kind of a guy are we dealing with here?"

"You really don't want to know. Anyway, they held Lorelai hostage and when everybody else got back, there was a huge fight. Jackson ended up with a hole in his chest and both he and Jess landed in jail."

"Let me say this next part," Max cut in dryly up front. "I-I need to."

"Okay."

"Leese and I had a fight. She told me she was pregnant but then went on to say that she'd visited Jackson in jail. It angered me, it really did. I thought...I don't know what I thought. But I was mad. There was yelling and Lisa went off with Lorelai. They went to the fireworks or something, and Lisa got kidnapped. Again. This is the situation we're in now. We went to go rescue her, but found out that Jackson was holding her on the bargain that he wouldn't kill her and the baby. She wouldn't leave and I found out..." his voice cracked and he lay his head in his arms.

"Take your time," Jack murmured. Max cleared his throat and pressed on.

"They'd slept together. He didn't rape her. Lisa slept with him."

It was Joe who spoke next. "I know my daughter, Max. He must have done something. She is loyal and caring, and wouldn't do that to you. She wholeheartedly hates the man. I don't know if it was drugs or alcohol or hell, if she came up with Stockholm's, but Max, she would never do that on her own account."

Max nodded and smiled at his father-in-law. "I'm trying to feel that. I am."

"What then?" Janice pressed.

"There was another huge fight and Lorelai got hurt. We came back to Stars Hollow, Rory got kidnapped as well, and, well, here we are."

Lane began to cry. "He's going to do something to her, Zach, I'm so scared!"

"Jackson won't," Joe put in dryly. "He believes that what is his is his and that's all he needs. He thinks Lisa is his. He won't hurt Rory. But Jess might."

"Jess is just a fucking little wimp," Jack shot out, shocking everyone with his language. "He'd need Jackson's help to try anything."

"Unless Jackson taught him his trade in prison," Max put in. "Which is very likely."

"Don't even think about it," Joe patted Lane's arm. She took strange comfort in the stranger's words. "We can't do anything at the moment, but we'll save her. When we find them, Jess and Jackson are as good as dead."


	28. Chapter 28

1Lisa's legs pumped harder and she ran faster than she ever had before, despite the fact that she was five months gestating.

She knew she wouldn't be able to outrun Jackson, which was why she had hopped down the embankment leading into the forest. The trees would provide cover for her to hide in, and if all else failed, to its left stood a rocky formation in which she could always curl up in.

She heard him racing after her and panicked as she tried to speed up. It reminded her horribly of the dreams children always had of outrunning your inevitable murderer.

He advanced up on her and grabbed her shoulder. She stumbled and fell, taking him down with her. His hand slid to her ankle and she tried to pull away and keep running. "Let me go!" she moaned. He swore at her.

His fist collided with her jaw and a metallic taste filled her mouth as she bit down hard on her tongue. Filled with a defensive anger, she kicked Jackson hard in the chest. The action left him winded and her free. She scrambled to her feet and was off.

She was into the cover of the thick woods as Jackson caught his breath and continued to sprint after her. She managed to get herself up into a tree. This could either be suicide or sanctuary, depending on if he saw her or not. She didn't think he did, as the rough bark and jagged branches clawed at her body. She kept pushing through the growth of the tree until she was pretty sure that she was concealed.

_I haven';t changed much. First I stab him with a Frankenstein pen and now I play Tarzan and hide in a giant cedar tree._

She held her breath regardless as Jackson lividly pushed through the woods. She noted with an uncharacteristically smug smirk that he didn't even bother looking up. It made sense. Why would he think for a moment that a five-month pregnant woman with multiple bodily injuries who had never climbed a tree before in her life would be sitting up in the branches? She hardly believed it herself.

Lisa clapped a hand over her mouth as he paced underneath. She jumped as he shouted, "I'll find you! Give yourself up now, Leese! You'll be in a hell of a lot more pain if I find you first!"

She half expected him to pull the old hide and go seek favorite, "Haha, I found you!" to get her to give herself up. But he didn't.

Finally, she heard the crunching of leaves as he stormed out of the woods. The squishing of wet sand as he jogged back up the embankment. Distantly, she heard the slamming of a car door and the whine of the engine as it sprang to life. Tears of joy filled her eyes.

_I did it. I beat him!_ She waited another moment before hopping painfully down and hobbling back up to the 7-11. She peeked around the corner into the parking lot before going inside, worried and paranoid that he might still be there regardless. He wasn't. She got inside and spoke to the cashier.

"Please," she slumped on the counter. "I need your help."

The young girl looked up at the frazzled woman before her. Her blue eyes widened. "Oh my God. You're Lisa Reisert." Lisa nodded. "Everybody's looking for you. Are you okay?"

Lisa nodded again. "I'm just tired, hungry, and in pain. Please, just call me a cab so I can go home." The girl nodded and dialed the number for a Little Yellow Taxi. Then she called the police.

"We'll come get you," they offered.

"Only if I can go back to Stars Hollow," Lisa bargained. "I need my husband and my friends. I'm not going with you otherwise."

"We'll take you there," they agreed. "Let you get checked by the doctor, cleaned up, fed, and get some rest. Then we'll ask you some questions." She agreed disinterestedly to this and hung up. The girl at the counter pulled off her smock and took Lisa's hand.

"Come on," she offered. "I'll take you in back and get you some food and clean clothes."

Lisa had never felt more grateful in her life. "Thank you. That's so nice. But the desk?"

She was already apparently two leaps ahead of Lisa. "Marco! Take checker!" A middle-aged Hispanic man nodded and darted out from the staff room without even a glance to Lisa.

The girl set down Lisa on a comfortable but worn plaid couch and headed to the refrigerator. Lisa checked her nametag. Anna. What a cute name.

Anna came back with a glass of milk and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Here."

"This isn't your lunch, is it?"

Anna smiled. "It is, but take it. You need it." She eyed Lisa's stomach and smiled broader. "How far along are you?"

"Maybe I'm not pregnant," Lisa joked. "Maybe I'm just fat."

"Then the news alerts would have lied," Anna laughed. "Seriously."

"Five months," Lisa patted her stomach maternally and downed the milk. "I can't wait. I just hope the baby is ok, after all of this..." She crammed the sandwich hungrily into her mouth.

Anna patted her hand. "With the grace of God, she will be."

Lisa smiled, suddenly calmed. She glanced at the girl's crucifix necklace. "That looks kind of like my old one. You're a Christian?"

"Yes. I'm guessing you are as well?"

"I've been kind of separated from God lately."

"Like, you feel that He's not with you anymore, after everything that's happened."

"Exactly."

"But, Lisa," Anna put an arm around her shoulders. "Look around you. Your baby is still alive. You're alive. You're saved."

"Yeah," Lisa began crying again, her happy tears coursing down her dirty face. "I am."


	29. Chapter 29

1Jackson slammed the car door shut and revved the engine. Rory sat up straighter.

"What's going on?" Jess asked.

"Where's Lisa?" a tight ball formed in Rory's chest.

"She got away," Jackson growled, pulling out and speeding down the highway. "In the fucking woods. I have no idea where she is, but I know where she'll be going."

Rory did, too. Stars Hollow. And she knew, with a pit in her stomach, that that's where they were headed.

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Lisa was back in Stars Hollow within the next few hours. The police agreed to stop by the next day and question her, but to leave her alone for the time being. She was grateful for that. They dropped her at Luke's Diner and she stumbled in frazzled.

"Hello?" she croaked, tears coming to her sensitive eyes as she realized that nobody was there. "HELLO?"

She crumpled into one of the chairs, not knowing where else they could be. The Gilmore house was burned to the ground, she had heard, and she was too weak to walk to Sookie's place. She shook with tears as she sat at the table.

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Cynthia crossed her legs on top of Luke's bed and sat Indian style. Lorelai sat in an armchair across from her, and Emily pristinely sat on the bed next to Cynthia. Tana and Paris, Rory's roommates, were slouched on the floor.

Cynthia had known Lisa for what seemed like forever but had actually only been about a decade. Sharing the bond of petulant customers at the Lux, she felt she shared a sisterly covenant with the year-older woman that nothing could break. Not even a missile.

"I wish I could've gone," she muttered bitterly to Lorelai. "I want to help her."

"Knowing Jackson, Cynth," Tana put in warmly. "This is the best place to be at the moment."

"I'm not scared of him," Cynthia snapped, instantly regretting it. "I'm sorry. But I'm not. At the moment, I just want to strangle the bastard with my own two hands."

Emily spoke up. "How do you think I feel? I didn't like the Mariano boy to begin with. And now that he's kidnapped my granddaughter, well..." her face crumpled and Lorelai looked at her.

"Mom?"

"Its so hard, Lorelai," Emily murmured into her palms, shaking with sobs. "To know that you still hate me, even when your daughter is missing."

"I don't hate you," Lorelai hopped to her mother and gingerly hugged her. By the flinch that it registered in Emily, Cynthia could see that it was an irregular action. "I don't."

The hug triggered in all of the girls huge bawl-fests. Cynthia sniffed and rubbed her face.

"I hope Lisa's okay," she cried, then grew subdued. "Where do you think she is now?"

There was a bump and a voice from downstairs. Lorelai growled irritably as they heard the voice grow louder.

"We're closed!" Lorelai shouted. Then she grew ashen. "Wait...do you...do you think?"

Cynthia barreled down the stairs and Lorelai hopped behind her on crutches. When the saw the familiar small figure hunched over, crying, at the table, they nearly communally fainted.

"Lisa?" Cynthia gasped. The redhead lifted her head and choked.

"Cynthia-Lorelai-oh my God!" she lept from the table and embraced the two in a huge group hug. The rest of the women thundered down from upstairs.

"You're okay," Lorelai sobbed. "You're really okay."

"I'm here," Lisa shook. "I'm home."


	30. Chapter 30

1Sookie offered to let Lisa come to her place to bathe and rest, but Lisa was wary. She didn't want to leave the warm familiarity of the diner. Lorelai gently argued Sookie's case, saying that Luke's small one-bedroom apartment held only a minuscule hostel-style shower and an uncomfortable bed. She sold Lisa with the idea of cherry pie.

"I'll fix you up a slice and some coffee, and when you're done you can head on down the street with Sookie," Lorelai offered coyly.

"Okay," Lisa nodded. "We need to talk anyway."

Slight worry crossed Lorelai's feminine features but she just bobbed her head briefly and hobbled awkwardly behind the counter. Sookie stood to help her.

The stiff, rich-looking elderly redhead stood angrily by the stairs. Lisa stood on aching and stinging legs and walked over, hand extended.

"Lisa Reisert," she offered shyly. "I'm good friends with your daughter and granddaughter."

"Emily Gilmore." The woman's face turned, if possible, even colder.

"Pleasure to-"

"This is all your fault," Emily hissed suddenly. "You're the selfish little girl who brought that monster up here, who influenced that boy to kidnap Rory! Its all your fault!"

Lisa felt tears brimming in her eyes. She wished that she could argue, but the truth of the matter was that she believed her. She had pushed the guilt to the farthest, dustiest corner of her mind, but there was no point denying it any longer.

"I-I don't-" Lisa bit her lip. "I didn't...mean to..."

Lorelai stepped out from the pantry and eyed the scene unfolding. With one look at Lisa's face, she instantly turned beet-red and twisted to face Emily.

"What. Did. You. Do," she barked to her mother. Emily haughtily stuck her nose in the air.

"No, Lorelai," Lisa looked away. "She's right. It is my fault. I should've been more careful, I-"

"Get out!" Lorelai screamed at her mother.

"I most certainly will not!" Emily screeched back. "I have just as much right as-"

"No, you don't. All you've done is cause trouble and you haven't help one bit. We don't need this whining so get your ass out of here before I kill you myself."

Emily turned a pale shade of blue and Lisa tried to protest. Lorelai met Emily's eyes and repeated, "Now."

Emily wordlessly grabbed her Gucci bag and stalked away. Lisa collapsed at the table, shaking in hardly concealed sobs. Lorelai grabbed the pie and Sookie the coffee and together they sat. Lorelai wrapped Lisa in a huge hug.

"What did she say?" she murmured into Lisa's sodden curls.

"She was right. All of this is my fault. I led Jackson here, I provoked him, and then, like the coward I am, I ran away and left Rory."

"Stop it right there," Lorelai insisted. "None of this is your fault. You'd have to be crazy to think that for one minute. There is no way that you could've known that Rippner's next recruit would be here and he'd get it into his mind to kidnap you. I'm telling you, don't you _ever_ listen to a word my mother says because her main goal in life is to make other, non Prada-wearing mortals feel _miserable_. She's look for someone to blame who she can scream at without being murdered because her golden girl was stolen."

Lisa began to believe her. When Lorelai spoke with that honest, smooth, and comforting voice, Lisa felt like Lorelai could have said the sky was green, and she'd believe it.

"So," Lorelai moved on. "What did you want to talk about?"

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Luke stopped the Jeep at the desolate, seemingly deserted cabin and the Camarro pulled up alongside. The moon was just beginning to peek above t he horizon and Max produced a manlight from beneath the seat. He shined it in Luke's face just as his cell phone rang.

"Lore?" he shushed the others in the car as a voice spoke. "Sookie? She did? Oh, that's great! I'm so happy!" Despite the blackness, everyone in the vehicle could see how he brightened.

"What?" Max whispered.

"Lisa escaped!" Luke cried. Joe cheered in the back. "She's back at the diner!"

"And Rory?" Chris wished aloud and Luke repeated the question into the phone. He sagged.

"No. They still have her. But still..."

"I want to talk to Lisa," Max begged, tears of joy streaming down his face. "Please." Luke nodded and handed over the phone.


	31. Chapter 31

Lisa was about to tell Lorelai about Rory when Sookie interrupted.

"Sorry," she said. "But don't you want to talk to Max?" Lisa jumped eagerly at the opportunity and Sookie, chortling, dialed Luke.

Lisa grabbed the phone. "Max!"

"Oh, sweetheart, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I love you so much, Max, and I'm so sorry for..." she paused. "I can't wait to see you."

"Me neither, baby. I'd love to get back there now, but we need to find Rory." There was a brief hesitation, as if he'd realized something. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"

Lisa wracked her brain. "When I got away, we were..." she screwed up her face in concentration. "Damn. I think...some town near Princeton, I think. Little dump of a place."

Max mulled this over thoughtfully. "Okay. At least now we have a directional idea. Thanks, hon."

"You're welcome. Good luck. Please, be safe. Don't hurt Jackson." _Shit._ _That came out wrong. _

"What did you just say?" Max asked softly. Lorelai and Sookie cringed simultaneously.

"I-nothing, just forget it."

Max's voice rose slightly. "No, I'm not going to forget it, Lisa. You said to not hurt Jackson."

Lisa swallowed and looked desperately to Lorelai and Sookie, who refused to look at her.

"Why not, Lisa? Why don't you want me to hurt that bastard?"

"Because, I...I don't want you to get hurt," Lisa replied feebly.

"How the hell could he hurt me? He's already done enough. To you. To _us._ And now...now you're telling me to leave the son of a bitch alone."

She'd never heard him this upset. "He's smart, Max. Smarter than you think."

There was a pause. "Thanks, Lisa. I needed that."

"Max, I'm sorry, okay? But just listen to me. You aren't realizing how hard it was for me to get away! He's pure evil, Max."

"Then why can't I hurt him?"

She took a deep breath. They were walking in circles here. "Please don't do this."

"I have to go, Lisa. I'll see you in a few days."

"Max, please, I-" Click.

Lisa began to cry again, but not as hard as before. "This is fucking great."

"Well, Leese," Lorelai snapped. "You brought it on yourself this time."

Lisa's head whipped up. "Excuse me?"

"Telling Max not to hurt the man who kidnapped you and, excuse me for being so brash, but the man that you _slept with_ was possibly the dumbest thing you could ever say. _Of course_ he wants to hurt Rippner! By saying that, you only sounded concerned for the bastard."

Lisa was mad now. "I didn't mean it that way," she snarled. "I meant it to-"

"It doesn't matter what you meant to say, _Leese_. What matters is how your fiancee took it."

"Lore, come on," Sookie gently patted her friend's arm. Lisa took a small comfort in that, but one look at Sookie's face told her that the pregnant woman wasn't pro-Lisa, either.

There was a long, labored silence while Lisa looked at her feet. She felt ashamed, for the first time. Why was she so stupid? Now, nobody liked her. She felt guilty for the trouble she'd caused the small Connecticut town, and just wanted to curl up in a ball. The only person who wasn't mad at her right now was Rory. Scratch that, Rory was probably mad at her for running off on her. Even Jackson would be pissed that she'd gotten away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I...I don't know what to say..."

Lorelai coughed. "I am, too. I shouldn't get mad at you, you've obviously just been through so much..."

"No," Lisa sighed. "Don't make excuses for me. I'm a horrible bitch."

Sookie smiled. "Leese, you're not. You know we love you. Everyone in this town has loved you ever since you moved here. So don't for one minute think that we're not on your side. We're just concerned for Rory."

"Speaking of which," Lorelai spoke up suddenly. "What was it that you wanted to tell us about before we called Max?"

Lisa swallowed hard the lump in her throat. She wasn't entirely sure what to say. She knew that she needed to tell them about Rory, but was unsure how to breech the situation. "I..."

"Yeah?"

"I forgot," she finally blurted out. "I forgot what it was. I think I need to sleep a bit." Sookie nodded, looking concerned and Lisa felt dirty. Lorelai had the right to know about what Jess had done to Rory, but maybe...maybe Rory needed to tell her mother herself.

Sookie painfully stood up, hand on her bulging stomach, and grabbed her black purse. Lorelai hugged Lisa once more before she Lisa began walking with Sookie to her house.

The sun was sinking overhead as their feet made gentle 'plink'ing sounds on the pavement. Lisa looked around at the gently humming Christmas lights, amused at how Stars Hollow decorated even for non-holidays. She also loved how the town was always buzzing. She attracted stares as she walked past random idlers and knew why. They'd no doubt heard that she had been kidnapped and were eager to know how she was saved but were unwilling to approach her themselves. She smiled and rubbed her stomach.

Sookie glanced at her and grinned warmly. "When are you due? Lorelai mentioned something, but I was still curious."

"December," Lisa melted with anticipation. "Around Christmas, I think."

"Got any names picked out?"

"Actually, no," Lisa replied thoughtfully. "I should start thinking, though, I suppose, hm? Do you have any ideas for, em...?"

"Well, not me, but Jacks-Jack does," Sookie answered, politefully cutting herself off as Lisa cringed. "Of course, he has like six picked out. Would you believe he wants two more kids after this?"

"Wow!" Lisa exclaimed. "What about you? What do you want?"

"Definitely not four in four," Sookie sighed.

"What's four in four?"

"Four kids...in four years."

"Oh," Lisa laughed.

"Yeah. I think Jack should walk one week as a pregnant woman, and _then_ see if he still wants that many kids. I'm perfectly fine with just two. Which is why he's getting castrated around the time the baby is born."

Lisa reared her head back. "What? Is he aware of that?"

"Nope," Sookie chuckled. "I decided for him. He'll live with it. His anger would be worse if I told him before hand, and plus: he'll be all glowing with the birth of our baby and so the snip-snip will only _slightly_ hinder his love and devotion to the woman who just carried his child."

Lisa smiled. "He's a great guy. You're lucky to have found him."

"Well, you're not all black thunderclouds there yourself, Mrs. Medena," Sookie giggled. "Max is a good guy. _You're _lucky to have found _him_."

Lisa shrugged as they approached Sookie's quaint house. "I guess. But I think lately I've ruined my chances of ever having a perfect romance with him."

"No relationship is ever perfect, Leese. Perfect is reserved for the Viagra commercials and for people who have lots of money to afford perfect. "

Lisa laughed as Sookie unlocked the door and tossed her purse on the couch. Lisa looked around, marveling at the feng shui and paintings dotting the room. "You're house is great."

"It's a mess."

"No, it's lived in...warm," Lisa complimented, shuddering suddenly. "After living in a...a decent house...all week, I'd know."

"What do you mean?"

Lisa, feeling faint all of a sudden, collapsed on an armchair. "The cabin that Jackson held me and Rory at...it was beautiful. I'll admit it. But it was cold. You know how you can walk into a really disgusting house but then you see the family photos and the messy fingerpainted picture on the refrigerator door, and you get that feeling of bliss? Like, 'I want _my_ life to be like this.' Very warm, very familial...that's perfect, I think."

"And my house is?" Sookie replied quietly.

"Yeah. Your house, its...perfect," Lisa bit her lip and looked at her friend. "I don't think Jackson will ever have that sort of perfection. He's not fit to love."

Sookie nodded and there was a long silence. "Well, how about that bath?" she finally offered.

Lisa stood eagerly. "Please. Then I'm thinking a nice, long, nap."

Sookie led her down a narrow hallway to a wide, airy bathroom. Lisa looked around as she drew the bath and Sookie gave her some lavender-scented bubble bath to put in.

"For stress," she explained. "Best thing in the world. And hot chocolate." Thoughtfully, she darted out the door and returned in a moment with a steaming mug for Lisa. Lisa felt wordlessly thankful and expressed her gratefulness to Sookie with a huge hug. Then Sookie left her, explaining that she'd be reading out in the living room.

Lisa sank into the large bathtub and sighed contentedly, looking up at the skylight above her. She inhaled deeply the scent of the flowers and closed her eyes, letting the warm water wash over her tense muscles.

She knew she hadn't seen the last of Jackson, or at least her friends hadn't. If she had her way, she'd get her final few words with him, in court, probably. That bastard would _not_ get away this time, she'd make sure of it. He'd get life or execution, one of the two. And even if she had to secure it herself, she'd make damn sure that security was intensely high around him.

For some reason unknown to her, Lisa didn't want to kill Jackson. She felt, oddly enough, slightly bonded to him. Could it possibly be the result of their one-night stand? She moaned as her brain began buzzing again.

She must have drifted off, because when she came to, the water was icy. She shivered and crawled out, wrapping a thick purple terry towel around her.

Lisa pulled on the warm cotton pajamas that Sookie had so sweetly lent her and brushed her hair out. She let it fall loosely around her shoulders, the dampness forming a sort of halo of comfort around her scalp. Then, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway, her bare feet making no noise on the carpeted floor.

"Sookie?" she yawned, then remembered her cup of cocoa in the bathroom and ran back for it. It was still sitting on the rim of the tub and, unlike the bath water, it was still warm.

"Sookie?" she called out again. No answer. Lisa grinned. These pregnant women, they were all alike, dozing off uncontrollably.

"Looking for someone, Leese?"


	32. Chapter 32

Rory was completely confused as to what Lisa had done. She'd gotten away, that was for sure, but the question was how. Lisa couldn't have come through the front of the store to steal a car or something, as Jackson had been watching her from inside, Rory assumed, and besides, Jess was out here. She could have gone out the back, maybe, if there had been a way, but still. Jackson was in good shape, and Lisa was pregnant and didn't work out regularly to begin with. After all, her best friend was _Lorelai._ Lorelai had strong issues with people who were gym rats.

Rory was hoping she was okay and she was relieved that her friend had escaped, but deep down she felt a little hurt. Lisa had left her to deal with Jess and Jackson alone. She'd deserted her. Rory had no idea what to do now, but she had to do something. She was panicking as Jackson pulled into Stars Hollow.

"What are we doing?" she piped up innocently. She knew good and well what they were doing and knew that Jackson wouldn't fail this time, but she had to try. She couldn't let him get Lisa again.

Jess glared at her. "Don't ask questions you already know the answers to."

"If you're looking for Lisa here, you must be idiots," Rory snorted. "She's not that stupid. She knows not to come back here."

"If she's not here already," Jackson hissed. "Someone will be. We'll make her come back."

"What, you mean like my mom or something?" Rory cut her eyes at him. "Do you honestly think she'd be here either? There'll be search parties everywhere by now, and she'll be leading."

"Even with a bullet hole in the leg?" he replied cynically. "Wishful thinking, sweetheart. Stop trying to buy yourself time. I'm the one driving."

"I'm just trying to drill a little logic into that brain there, Spongebob Squarepants," she snapped. "Didn't think an important guy like you would want to waste his time here."

Jackson rolled his eyes and sped past the diner. Jess watched and turned to Rory once they were past.

"No one's there," he informed Jackson. Jackson turned around and went back.

"Bitch's house is burned," he growled. "Where else would she be?"

"Like I said, out looking for Lisa and I," Rory spat. Jackson turned around and lividly glared at her, and Rory braced herself for the oncoming blow, but none came. She grinned at him and he turned back around.

"Go in, Jess," Jackson demanded. "See if anyone's there. If they are, wave your gun around a bit. Rory, go with him."

"Why should I?"

"Because I told you to and if you don't..."

"If I don't, what, Jack? You don't have anyone to threaten anymore other than me, and you might have noticed that I don't really care."

Jess unbuckled and turned to face her. His green eyes burned her own blue ones. "That's not true, Rory. You _do_ care. You care about yourself, because you care about Dean."

Rory's eyes burned with liquid at the thought of her comatose boyfriend. "I do care about Dean."

"Don't."

She frowned angrily. "Why not?"

Jackson was watched the scene unfolding like a tennis match. Rory half-expected him to pull out some popcorn and egg them on.

"Because, Rory, he's dead. Ok? He's dead. While you were asleep I got a call from our guy. They pulled the plug, Ror, Dean is dead."

The reality hit her like a ten-ton brick. "He's not dead, Jess. Stop screwing with me."

"He _is_ dead. His parents didn't think he would want to live off a machine, so they pulled the plug. Sorry."

"You're not sorry," she hissed, tears running down her face. "You're a liar! You're not sorry, and he's not dead! Dean's not dead! You're saying this all so I'll come running back to you!"

Now Jackson looked almost mournful, if Rory hadn't known him better.

"He is, Rory. I don't lie. He is," he told her, looking away as she screamed.

"No, he's not! He's not dead, he can't...he can't be..." she cried, pressing her head into the seat behind her. "I hate you. I hate both of you. Its all your fault..."

"Go on in, Jess," Jackson told him quietly. "We'll wait for you."

**A/N**-Just a quick little mean chapter that I wrote up briefly to hold you off until I can write something of substance. Rory finds out that Dean died, yadayada. Okay. New chapter up pretty soon, most likely tomorrow. :)


	33. Chapter 33

Lorelai went back upstairs as Tana and Paris were putting on their jackets.

"We're going to go," Tana said nervously, her eyes wide in fright as usual. Like a skittish little mouse. "Since you guys have Ms. Reisert on your team now. We kind of feel dormant. We aren't much help, just sitting here, but if you need anything we're just a phone call, and, well, an hour's drive away."

"Oh, yeah, that's fine," Lorelai nodded. "We love having your company, of course, but don't feel obligated to stay. We'll call you with any news. 'Till Sookie and Lisa get back, Cynthia and I can definitely hold the fort down." She smiled and hobbled back to her spot in a kitchen chair with her bad leg propped up on Luke's bed.

Paris and Tana left and Lorelai was left sitting in a mid-afternoon lull (_I'm surprised I can feel this sense of boredom when Rory is in danger) _with Cynthia, who actually reminded her a bit of Tana.

Cynthia was a nervous young woman, but she looked positively elated that Lisa was home. She finally spoke with a jittery grin. "I'm very happy, that Paris is gone, beg pardon. That girl really makes me edgy."

Lorelai laughed. "She start spouting off about how Shakespeare wasn't really as smart as we make him out to be?"

"No," Cynthia giggled. "I'd have liked to hear that one, though. Sounds scary. No, she was ranting about Tana's pacing. Poor girl."

Lorelai chuckled and sipped her beer. _Rory, sweetie, get home. I can't think without you here._ She must have darkened as she reflected because Cynthia sounded sad when she spoke.

"Rory's your daughter, right?"

Lorelai rubbed her eyes. Thank God she hadn't applied makeup today. "Yeah."

"I'm really sorry," Cynthia whispered sincerely. "But I really have a feeling that she's going to be okay."

Lorelai forced a smile. "No offense, but you don't know Jackson Rippner. And even though I thought I could predict Jess Mariano, he proved me wrong."

Cynthia licked her lips. "I don't think you can really read anyone, you know? I mean, everybody has a different personality than what it seems. Like Lisa. The Lisa _I_ knew would have upgraded Jackson Rippner to a suite after she stabbed him in the neck. 'A night on us for your troubles'." Lorelai smiled for real. "But she didn't."

"Nope," Cynthia sighed and swigged her drink and reflected dreamily. "No, she pretty much kicked his scrawny _ass_."

xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX xX

Lisa screamed as Jackson spun her against the wall. She began spasmodically moving practically every part of her body in an effort to get away. _This isn't happening. I got away from him already!_

"Sookie," Lisa gasped. "Sookie, help-"

"Calling for a pregnant woman's help, Leese?" Jackson rasped. "Funny, I thought you were above that."

"I _am_ a pregnant woman," Lisa hissed as he twisted her hands into her back. She cried out in pain and gasped, "What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything, Leese," Jackson intonated innocently. His eyes flashed. "You really think I'm that low to hurt an eight-month pregnant woman who's never done shit to me? She's not here." He waved a note easily in her face and recited it mockingly in a high-pitched voice, while still managing to keep her hands bound behind her back. "'Leese-I went to Doose's to get some hazelnuts. I'm making baklava! I hope you like baklava! I locked the door and should be back in a few. Help yourself to anything.' What a nice lady, Leese."

"What do you want?"

Jackson pulled her to his chest and she whimpered. "Let go," she pleaded.

He ignored her desperate request. "You know what I want. Rory does, too."

"What the hell does that mean? What did you do to her?"

Jackson dragged her yet closer, his hot breath forming beads of sweat on her already damp forehead. He hissed in her face. "If I did something Leese, if I killed her, it would only be your fault. It was you, not me, who so selfishly ran away."

"Could you blame me?" she begged with a cracking voice. _I hate having to beg to him. Like a dog being punished._ "For not wanting to spend my whole life virtually enslaved?"

"Actually, yes," he growled. "This is my game. You're playing by the rules or you lose a turn."

_Leave it to you, Jackson. Fucking analogies._ Lisa rose her eyes and noticed something."This isn't a game, Jackson! This is life! Snap out of your dream world and face reality. You can't just kidnap people and expect them to love you and follow at your heels forever."

"I'm not asking anything _like_ that, Lisa," he snarled. "I'm _demanding_ it."

"There's another difference, _Jack,_" Lisa voice bit sarcasm. "You didn't let me finish."

He tightened his grip on her wrist but Lisa held her ground even as his nails drew blood. "Yeah? What's that? Enlighten me, o' great one."

She braced herself. "_You're not going to win."_

He laughed. "Oh, yeah, Leese? Says who?"

"Says me." Sookie brought the heavy table lamp crashing down on his head and Lisa darted out from behind him as he fell.

Sookie was trembling. "I think I killed him. Oh God, Leese, what if I killed him?"

"He deserved it," Lisa panted, grabbing Sookie's numb hand. "Come on, we have to go in case he wakes up!"

Sookie was staring at his body. "I've never killed anyone before…oh, God…I'm going to go to hell, or prison!"

Lisa grabbed both of Sookie's hands and glared into her eyes. "Sookie, I'm really sorry, but you won't be in trouble eternally or legally for this. It was defense. Now _come on_. Would you rather be gone or here when he wakes up?"

Sookie nodded and they broke into a slow jog, Sookie moving as quickly as she could for a pregnant woman. They stopped halfway down the street and Lisa asked Sookie for directions.

"The diner?" Sookie bent over with her hands on her stomach, trying to regain her breath.

"No," Lisa decided. "Jess will be there and it'll be Jackson's first stop when he wakes up, no doubt. We have to get somewhere else, where we'll be safe but can call Lorelai to get out of there. Police station?"

"Don't…have one," Sookie panted. "Closest is Hartford…"

Lisa swore. "How handy. Where can we go, then?"

Sookie thought and then her eyes lit up. "The school. It's Saturday, soccer practice just finished up. It won't be locked and there's a chance that someone might be there. Even if not, there's still phones and plenty of places to hide. Rippner won't think to look there."

Lisa nodded vigorously and helped Sookie to her feet. They took off for the quarter mile in a brisk walk.

They passed the diner and hid themselves behind shrubbery as they passed. No risks here.

Lisa noticed something as they passed and gasped loudly.

"What?" Sookie whispered loudly.

"That car," Lisa paled. "It's Jackson's. Jess is at the diner. With Rory."

"We have to go, then!" Sookie cried.

Lisa thought briefly. "No. Jess can't do anything without Jackson's okay. And Lorelai can beat him. If we get to the school and call the cops, we'll have a chance."

Sookie nodded worriedly, her face blotchy with worry. "'Kay."

It was when they were running into the school that they heard a shrill scream pierce the evening air.


	34. Chapter 34

"Ouch! Damn it!" Lisa tripped over a stray basketball in the darkness as they entered the back of the school gym. The pervasive scent of salty sweat entered her nostrils and she waved a hand to rid herself of the stench.

"You okay?" Sookie felt her way in the dim light and bumped into Lisa's shoulder.

"I will be when my eyes adjust," Lisa murmured. "Where's the light switch?"

"The school's lights are all run by one breaker," Sookie sighed. "Which is activated by a key, which we don't have."

"That's so stupid," Lisa grouched. "Why don't they have individual switches?"

"Because it makes burglary more difficult. Plus, so rowdy kids can't mess around and annoy the teachers."

"They're worried about burglars, yet they have the back door unlocked," Lisa snorted. "Intelligent."

"Well, it _is_ Stars Hollow we're talking about here. Come on. The phones are in the hall."

Sookie led her down through the grayish haze to a long line of payphones in the hall. She dialed the police in Hartford.

"Yes," she spoke quietly. "There are two men who are…stalking…my friends and I, we-" she paused, biting her lip. "Yes, I know for sure. Yes. Rory Gilmore and Lisa Reisert? Yes! But Lisa is temporarily not being held captive. Yes. She's with me. Good. But the men…they're _here._"

Lisa huddled at the phone next to her. Sookie's face fell. "What?"

"Two hours? We can't wait that long! No. No. Just hurry up!" she hung up and slammed the phone into the receiver. "FUCK!"

As she yelled it, they heard a loud bang as the door in the gym swung open. Lisa quickly clamped a hand over Sookie's mouth and dragged her backwards.

"Oh, God," she whispered, her pulse racing. _He's here. He's here, he's here, oh God._

"Maybe it's the janitor," Sookie murmured.

"I don't think so…"

They trotted out of the hallway as quickly and quietly as possible.

"Upstairs!" Sookie muttered in Lisa's ear. "Come on!"

They took a tall, narrow staircase up as Lisa assumed the elevator wouldn't work if the lights didn't. Both pregnant women were panting as they reached the top and the only thing that pushed them forward was the heavy footsteps they heard beneath them. Lisa had panicky tears streaming down her face as she grabbed Sookie's hand and hurried her into a classroom.

"Here," Lisa gasped as they got in. "I want you to wait in here."

"No way," Sookie insisted. "I'm not leaving you."

"Sookie, please," Lisa begged. "I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Likewise," Sookie's eyes narrowed. "You'll have to sedate me, babe, because I'm not staying if you're not. We're in this together."

Her words touched Lisa but at the same time unnerved her. _Sookie, don't make me do this. I can't let you get hurt like I have this town!_

Lisa nodded briefly as they looked frantically for a hiding spot or exit from the school. It would only be a matter of time before Jackson found them, after all the school was only so big.

They ran down the hall to what Sookie said was the cafeteria. Lisa pulled open a large, empty metal closet used for storing pots and pans as Sookie climbed into a cupboard under the sinks.

Lisa felt a large frying pan behind her and it cut into her back, so she removed it and just held on to it as she shut the door. "Good luck," she whispered to Sookie, "And stay quiet!"

Sookie nodded as she shut herself in.

Lisa felt slightly claustrophobic as the blackness of the closet encased her. Luckily, two ventilation slits gave her a little light and, she hoped, a good private view in case Jackson tried to attack here.

They heard the resounding footsteps all the way up the stairs and down the hall, finally ending up in the kitchen. _Don't move, Lisa, whatever you do, don't move._

His breathing was rasp-ridden and shallow as always and Lisa felt her stomach turn nervously. It was then that Lisa noticed it. Sookie's cupboard door was open a crack. Jackson eyed it and kicked it. When nothing happened, he kicked it again and stooped to open it.

_NOT AGAIN! I'm never hiding AGAIN! _Lisa threw open the door and slammed Jackson on the head with the pan. He yelled out and crumpled to the ground. Sookie crawled out from underneath, her face pouring sweat and the chase was on.

"Lisa, you shouldn't have done that!" Sookie gasped as they ran down the hallway.

"I wasn't going to let him hurt you!"

"Where next?"

"I don't know! Whatever looks good!"

"We have to get out of this school!"

They began thundering down the stairs again, anxious to be rid of the dark, musty hallways and get into sunlight and have a chance at salvation again.

Sookie didn't know about the back staircase, but they sure found out when Jackson beat them to the only exit in the gymnasium. He beamed at them, his eyes not reflecting the same joy as his spread arms did. A trickle of blood ran down his face but he seemed oblivious.

"We stalked Jess for sometime, Leese, didn't you think we'd case out his school as well?" Jackson panted. "Tsk, tsk, thought you were smarter."

Lisa stepped in front of Sookie. "Just leave this alone, Jackson. Leave US alone."

He withdrew a small revolver. "Not happening. We're ending this now."

"Going to shoot me, Jack?" Lisa hissed. "Gee, I'm surprised, thought you were above that. Don't want to use the brass knuckles instead?"

"Whoever said that the gun would bring about the end?" he stepped closer and Lisa gripped Sookie's hand tightly behind her. "There are so many ways to shoot someone without killing them. And then, you have Max Jr to consider."

Lisa narrowed her eyes and backed even further until she heard Sookie cry out as they hit the bleachers. "You wouldn't."

"You've pushed me too far, Leese, there's nothing I won't do."

As Lisa's heart began racing, she calmed herself with one memory, "There is one thing, Jackson. The one thing you're supposedly above."

He paused in thought and then shrugged. "I'm above it, but Jess isn't, no?"

"What does he mean?" Sookie hissed in Lisa's ear.

"I'm not surprised if they haven't already had a repeat performance back at the diner," Jackson growled. "Right in front of everybody. I gave the go-ahead, he can kill whomever he damn well pleases."

"If you lay a hand on _any_ of them, Jackson, I swear to-"

"What are you going to do, Lisa? There's nothing you can do to me," he laughed. "Just give it up. If you come along right now, everything will just be swell. Nobody will get hurt. If you try to be the hero and escape again, well, I think I shouldn't be held responsible for whatever I might do."

"So you'll kill me if I'm not a good little puppy dog," Lisa snapped. "So you love me if I act the way you want."

"Basically…" he sighed and shrugged. "Yeah. I'm not going to lie to you there." _Like you ever **have**._

"Jackson," Lisa whispered. "I will come with you, but…"

"But what?" She saw the look in his eyes. He thought he'd won.

"But please let Sookie walk. Right now."

Sookie looked frantically at Lisa and Lisa turned to her. Her eyes radiated a firm demand. "I'm not leaving here if you don't come!"

"Sookie, please," Lisa lied. "Do this for Lorelai. For me."

Jackson smugly tossed his gun from hand to hand. "Fine. Be my guest."

Sookie looked warily at the weapon in Jackson's hand before slowly side-stepping out the door. Then, it was just Lisa and Jackson locked in a stare-off. Jackson finally approached, brandishing something from his pocket.

"Forgive me, Leese, but at the moment, my trust for you is about the same level as the Americans to the Soviets during the Cold War, so I'm going to cuff you."

Her hands fell limp at her side and she cast her darkened eyes to the ground. "Fine."

Jackson approached and picked up her arm, snapping one end of the cuff over her wrist. "See, this doesn't have to be difficult. I wish you would just stop fighting this and get used-"

Lisa brought her knee up to Jackson's groin and as he doubled over in pain, she fled, the loose end of the cuff banging against her thigh.

He got back up and followed her to the weight room, revolver drawn again, and as she darted around corners bullets chased her. She screamed as they ricocheted off the metal equipment. Her eyes caught his as he angrily rounded a corner and she hollered, "Thought you were a lousy shot, Jack!"

He ignored her as she darted around machines. When they passed the barbells she tossed a ten-pound at him. It missed by inches. _Shit! I need to get out of here!_

Her thoughts preoccupied her as she ran past a simple leg press and she tripped and flew over the edge of it. With a yell she began picking herself back up as Jackson caught up to her and pinned her against the wall, gun pressed to her head.

"Give me one reason!" he hissed. "Give me one fucking reason not to blow your brains out right now."

"Because you _love me_," she taunted. _He'll eat his words_. "You love me, Jackson, isn't that right, you _fucking phony_!"

He pressed it harder and Lisa felt the indentation in her skin. "I could kill you now and not think twice."

"Then do it, Jack, get it over with! We're all sick of your empty threats, just leave this _fucking town_ alone! End this thing, or I will!" He switched the gun's position to her stomach. _My baby._

"You're not a fighter, Leese," he growled. "You got lucky that _one time _but now, without the help of your ditzy little redneck friends you can't do shit!"

"Who was helping me back at that house, hm?" she retorted. "My hockey stick, yeah, we go way back. _Nobody_. I had _no help _whatsoever but you still can't admit that I kicked your ass fair and square!"

"You can't beat me," he menaced. "You can't. You got lucky once, but Leese, this isn't over. Even if I kill you now I still have your whole _fucking mess_ to clean up!"

"What mess is there, Jack? All of this, all of this problem has solely been caused by _you_. There's no one left to blame. I didn't do anything. Sookie didn't do anything, Lorelai didn't, Rory didn't. There's NOBODY LEFT. Who do you want to blame now, the pope? Was he the one who caused the cockiness that led to your defeat by a _girl?_ Was it Benedict, Jackson? Poor Jackson…" Then everything stopped. Lisa felt a dizzying pain that rose from her leg up as she collapsed to the floor, her vision blurring.

She managed to hear the next shot and a familiar voice. "You said you were a lousy shot, Rippner, but even you should've been able to hit your target."

Lisa faded and wondered, briefly, what her baby would have looked like if her mother wasn't dying.


	35. Chapter 35

"Don't you dare hurt them, Jess!" Rory screeched as he dragged her up the stairs to Luke's apartment. Her injured ankle caught horribly on the floor and she moaned. "They haven't done _anything!"_

"I won't hurt them," Jess assured. "Provided that they tell us where Lisa is."

"Jackson already knows," Rory sobbed as he stopped on the landing. "He's looking for her now!"

"Yeah, he's looking, he doesn't know where she is," Jess hissed and twisted open the door. "They do."

Lorelai's head snapped up as they barged in. She bolted upright. "Rory!"

Cynthia backed into a corner, shaking as she saw Jess's weapon.

"Hello, Lorelai," he greeted cheerfully. "So, are you and Luke official now?"

"It's Ms. Gilmore to you, asshole," Lorelai snarled. "Let my daughter go NOW."

"Such a pleasant town," he mused. "Reminds me why I didn't stay when I had the chance. By the way, where's Lisa?"

"She's at So-" Cynthia began intelligently but Lorelai cut her off.

"None of your goddamned business," she spat. Jess dropped Rory and advanced on Lorelai. She screamed as he pinned her to the chair with his arms and pressed the gun to her temples.

"Care to tell me now?"

"No," Lorelai hissed. "Not on my _fucking grave!"_

"Trust me, it can be arranged," he nodded coolly. "I'll give you ten seconds before I blow your brains out."

Cynthia stepped forward, concern etched all over her face. "How did you get to be this way? I don't know you, but you seem like you used to be so…innocent."

"Shut up!" he yelled over his shoulder at her. "This is none of your concern, Red, so stay the fuck out of it."

"You used to date Rory. Rory has common sense, she would never pick…_you._ So you must have changed a lot over the years."

"Shut u-"

Rory finally spoke. "She's right, Jess. I loved you once. You used to be so different, you…you used to read poetry and now you've turned into a man who kills people for a living. Look at what you're doing here. You're threatening to shoot a woman just so you can get information about another girl's whereabouts you couldn't give two shits about."

He sighed and rolled his eyes at Lorelai. "You're down to five seconds now."

"I'm not telling you!"

"Jess," Rory pleaded, and her tone of voice was what made him turn around. She was calm, not hysterical, but quiet with small tears running down her face. "What happened to us? I wanted to work it out, but you ruined it by running out on me and then joining forces with Jackson. If you'd have come to me peacefully, then maybe I could have…talked. We could have talked. This could be different. You don't want this, I know you don't."

His face was contorting itself horribly as he battled his own emotions. "I…"

"Put down the gun, Jess, please. You don't want this future. This future is…nothing."

"No, this _town _is nothing. My future with Jackson, it's all I got. That's it."  
"No, Jess," Rory looked into his eyes sincerely. "It's not. If you drop that gun right now, it can be different. I promise."

He was trembling as the pistol clattered noisily to the floor. Rory looked at Cynthia. Cynthia knew. She had to.

Jess walked to Rory as Cynthia picked it up and shot him squarely in the back. Rory jumped out of the way as he fell to the floor. He was dead before he hit the rug.

Rory hit the rug next, her knees collapsing as she sobbed.

"Mommy," she murmured as Lorelai hobbled over and wrapped her arms around her little girl. It reminded Rory of her childhood, of broken Barbie dolls and skinned knees.

"My baby girl," Lorelai whispered soothingly as Luke and co. threw open the door nervously. "It's alright. It's going to be okay. It's over."


	36. Chapter 36

Sookie held a cooing Martha on her waist as Lisa cradled a newborn Dean in her arms. Max never left her side, his hand firmly around her waist the entire ceremony.

"…from this tragedy, we lay these young souls to rest and can only hope that they finally find their peace in the heavens." The minister closed his Bible as the three coffins were lowered into the ground.

"Are you okay, Rory?" Lorelai asked, leaning on Rory one side and Luke the other, her crutches tossed in the fresh mud. "I know this is hard, babe, but it'll get easier."

Rory smiled sadly at her. "It's so weird, you know? I never thought my first two boyfriends would…" she broke off as she choked into sobs and Lorelai turned her arm into a hug.

"It's ok, Ror."

Lisa watched the three across the way as dirt was poured over the fresh graves. She shook her head and watched her enemy finally sink into the soil. Dean gurgled a bit in his sleep.

"Lisa, are you going to be okay?"

She looked at Max and shrugged. "I don't know. It's hard getting used to…this. Not in a bad way, just…different. I'm not afraid anymore."

"I know. I used to…I used to worry 24/7 when Rippner was still alive that he'd be _there,_ waiting in our apartment to catch you and take you away from me. That would kill me."

Lisa smiled at him. "Did I tell you that I love you?"

"Since we got back from the hospital, only about six hundred times, but I think you've only had about three times today, so let's hear it again. I'm feeling a bit slighted."

Lisa laughed quietly. "Love ya."

"Right back at you." Max looked fondly upon the dark-haired baby nestled against her breast. "And I love this little bugger just as much."

"Do you think we upset Rory by… you know…?" Lisa glanced at the crying girl again. Now Rory was just sobbing quietly against Luke's chest.

"Nah," Max sighed. "I don't think so. She probably felt…honored. I can't think of a better way to pay homage to a boy who helped us _so much._"

The yard began clearing out as most of the guests left. The tri-funeral was postponed for eight weeks until everyone was out of the hospital. Lisa was admitted for her gunshot wound originally for a month, but had gone into stress-related early labor just before she was scheduled to be released. Baby Dean was born two weeks after Baby Martha and although neither was capable yet, Lisa knew that the two would be great girlfriend-boyfriend material when they grew older together.

Rory had been admitted overnight for her snapped ankle that had been hastily Do-It-Yourself fixed by Jackson. She'd been subject to a good portion of the press hassle, as she wasn't hidden behind beeping IV s for more than a day. Max had nobly taken the insect-like reporters whenever he went to get Lisa food from the diner-because she hated hospital food-every night and managed to arrange it so Lisa would have one interview only.

Luke's Diner, in the meantime, had never had better business. Everyone was eager to speak to the soon-to-be-stepfather-of-the-girl-who-got-kidnapped and, as the newly posted sign outside his diner read, "NO ORDER, NO STAY." It worked quite to his advantage and he had his wedding half-paid for within the first week after 'Hurricane Jackson' as they'd come to refer to it as.

Joe and Cynthia both bought places in Hartford to be closer to Lisa and her new family, and Cynthia settled in quite nicely at the Holiday Inn with a former Olympian bellboy. Lisa was happy for her and asked her to be a bridesmaid in her December wedding. After much deliberation, she picked Rory to be her maid of honor.

The yard had mostly cleared out, all except for Luke, Lorelai, Rory, Sookie, Jack, Lisa, Max, and, of course, the babies. The opposite sides approached each other and stood over the three fresh graves.

"It's over," Luke murmured. "Hard to believe, but…we're finally free."

"I think Dean would be happy with the way things ended," Rory decided. "He would have been happy to know that he died to protect Mom, to help us. We wouldn't be where we were, that's for sure."

"Yeah," Lisa agreed quietly. "I just hope you all can forgive me."

All heads swiveled to her. "Why the hell would we need to forgive you?" Jack asked bluntly.

"Because I brought this all upon you," she sighed. "If it weren't for me, Jackson would _never_ have come here."

There was a pause until Max spoke again. "That's not true, sweetheart. He came here for _Jess._ There would have been an explosion either way but look at it like this: Jess would take Rory whether or not Jackson had you, right?" she nodded.

Rory turned to Lisa and touched Dean's head gently. "If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd be alive."

"What do you mean?"

"When Jess…" Rory closed her eyes painfully and swallowed. "When he…hurt me like he did, I was a zombie. I wanted to kill myself and was thinking of how but _you_ changed everything. If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have been able to cope and I'd still be in a fog or dead. But you helped me, Lisa, you saved me."

Lisa's eyes clouded over and she hugged Rory. The rest of the group smiled sadly at the two as they cried together.

When they finished, Lisa nestled back into her fiancée and thought. All was silence for about ten minutes as they all stood in a peaceful silence as the wind whipped around the stones. "Guys?"

"Mmm?" Luke murmured in recognition.

"We should go."

"Yeah," Luke sighed. "Coffee and donuts back at the diner?"

Everyone shouted out an agreement and headed back to the cars. Rory and Lisa lingered. "We'll be along, Max, okay?" He nodded and went to get in his Saab.

Rory kissed her fingers and gently touched Dean's stone. "Thank you, Dean. For what you did for me. I'll never forget you. You were my first love and my greatest love and still are." Then she looked at Jess's stone. "Jess, all I can say is that I hope you find the peace up there that you couldn't find down here. I wish you the best." With a smile, she added, "And I'd buy some eternal pepper spray, too, while you're at it, because Dean is going to _kick your angelic **ass**."_

Lisa laughed quietly as Rory ran back to the car and Lisa paused over Jackson's grave. If she was hearing correctly, the wind tickled her ear and whispered, "We'll talk again, Leese."

She smiled at its touch and at Jackson's resting grave. "Thanks for the quickie, Jack."

XX

THE END 


End file.
